Crystal Cove Aquatic Center Makeover To Include New Slides
For many people, summer isn’t complete without a visit to a swimming pool and a ride down a water slide.
But due to reconstruction, they won’t be able to get it this year at Crystal Cove Aquatic Center.
“Normally this time of year we’d be getting ready to open the Crystal Cove Aquatic Center,” said John Elholm, recreation director for the city of Crystal. “The pool would have water in it, we’d be getting lifeguards trained, and just getting geared up for the year … It’s going to be closed this year for reconstruction. There’s a lot of excitement about what’s to come though.”
The city of Crystal closed the pool for the entirety of 2024 for a reconstruction project.
A significant part of the remodel is a new basin for the deep-end of the pool.
“Part of the pool was remodeled 20 years ago and that was primarily the zero-depth pool,” Elholm said. “This time around, we’re looking at the original pool structure built in 1968 and it’s going to be totally replaced.”
The water slides at Crystal Cove Aquatic Park are being demolished and replaced over the summer.
New Amenities, Slides at Crystal Cove
That’s one aspect of the nearly $6 million makeover.
The Crystal City Council approved plans on Tuesday, June 4 for the demolition and reconstruction of some of the large-scale amenities at the park.
One of the most visible amenities at the park is the pair of blue and yellow water slides.
The frame is rusting and Elholm said the slides are approaching the end of their expected usability.
“It’s 30 years old and at the end of it’s life,” he said. “We are looking to rebuild it with a different slide … The current plan shows for a tube slide and one that is an open slide.”
Contractors will also demolish the bridge that takes swimmers to the slides.
According to Elholm, the new design will make the pool more accessible to all users.
“That was a key thing when we were looking at features is making sure it’s as accessible to people with mobility impairments as possible,” he said. “So we’ll be able to have a sidewalk around behind the slides instead of having a need for a bridge.”
While the project is expensive, it has community support.
“We spent a couple years talking to the public,” Elholm said. “Just how important is this resource to the community? It was very clear that it’s a service that people like to see in Crystal.”
The council authorized about $684,000 worth of work on Tuesday.
A pair of diving platforms are expected to replace the diving board at the pool.
The council also voted to remove the drop slides currently installed at the pool. They could reinstall new drop slides, or could install a different amenity instead.
A climbing wall could also be installed at Crystal Cove.
The park is expected to reopen in 2025.
