February 2010 - Parks & Recreation - 46

Waterpark Winners
What's hot in the aquatics market? According
to Terri Smith of the company Water Design, new
facilities are trending toward sustainable designs.
These designs include products that help reduce
the carbon footprint of the facility and over time can
save money in energy and chemical costs. Smith also
suggests that agencies interested in sustainable design
look at high-efficiency heaters and solar power.
Smith also points to the " untapped revenue resource "
of people with disabilities, and says that facilities should
provide accessibility in accordance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act-not only because they could generate
revenue, but because it is the right thing to do. " Providing
more access is always trendy, and in addition opens your
facility to more members of the community, " Smith says.
There are several aquatic features that are proving to be
popular within a spray or water park. Here is a list of the cool
components to consider:

∙ Lazy river. According to Cath Martel from Round
Rock, Texas, this is the most popular feature at
the Rock'n River Family Aquatics Center.
∙ Spray guns and cannons. Jackie
Gonzalez from Carol Stream, Illinois,
says these are a huge hit with kids of
all ages at her facility Coral Cove.
∙ Frog slides. These aboveground slides are popular with
small children who may be nervous
about larger slides, Smith says.
∙ Multi-story slides. Roger Heaney
from Round Rock, Texas, says that these
slides really have huge impact on guests-they
have " huge curb appeal " for those driving by.
∙ Zero-depth entry. This is a must when catering
to families, according to Jason Spiller, Macomb, Illinois.
" Parents like that their children can wade in. "

-Rachel Roberts

Money matters
The City of Round Rock (Texas) Parks and Recreation Department maintains three outdoor aquatic facilities-two are traditional swimming pools and the other is a 40,400 square-foot
park named Rock'n River Family Aquatics Center. Complete
with three-story slides, water playgrounds, water guns, tunnel
shower, and lazy river, the facility also brings in a steady revenue stream. Although the facility's maximum occupancy is only
601 people, the facility has an annual revenue of $252,105-
nearly half of the entire aquatics revenue.
Cath Martel, athletics and aquatics manager for Round
Rock, says traditional pools that rely on swim team fees and
memberships for revenue are no longer doing well. " I'm not
aware of any competitive pool that makes money, " she says.
" These days there has to be a recreation component. Bobbing
around in deep water just isn't exciting and people want more. "
Roger Heaney, marketing specialist for Round Rock, says
that it is nice to know that the parks and recreation department

44 Parks & Recreation

February 2010

www.NRPA .ORG

is delivering exact ly what t he
people wa nt.
" I n Texas, to
be outside, you
have to be in a
pool, " he says. " This
is an incredibly busy facility and is
packed from when we open until when we close. "

More maintenance?
Overall, most water and spray parks are no more expensive to
operate than a traditional pool. Jackie Gonzalez, recreation supervisor for Carol Stream Park District in Illinois, says that with
so many features, operators have " a lot more that can break, "
but saves in labor and lifeguard costs. Her facility Coral
Cove features water cannons and zero-depth splash
pads that don't require additional lifeguards.
Water Design's Smith says that many design
companies are creating new elements that
wouldn't require staff because they know labor
can eat into revenue. " From what I've seen, play
elements don't have to add to your operational
budget, " Smith says. " I think even if you do, the
returns will far outweigh the costs. "
At the Macomb Township (Illinois) Recreation
Center, Facility Supervisor Jason Spiller manages
the 11,000 square-foot aquatic facility that consists of
three different pools and a variety of features such as a
two-story waterslide, vortex, lazy river, floating features, and
geysers.
He agrees that from his experience, spray parks don't require any extra maintenance, and generally need about the
same staffing levels as a large, traditional pool. His facility has
been open for five years, and for the last four, has been turning a profit after expenses of roughly $176,000.
" You are always going to have fixed costs like electricity
to run your pumps and staffing, " Spiller says. " But in general,
waterparks require very little maintenance and they attract a
lot more people than a competitive pool. "

Time for teams
Spiller explains that a traditional pool with lanes for swimmers require that the water be colder-around 77 to 79 degrees, whereas at the recreation center, his water runs about
84 degrees. This forces the competitive teams to practice
elsewhere, but provides a location for aqua-exercise and
family recreation.
" A traditional pool is important for teams and competitive
swimmers and lifeguard training, but it just isn't a big revenue
maker, " he says. " We have shied away from a standard pool
because we wanted a facility everyone would enjoy. "
And even though Macomb doesn't host swim teams, the
Continued on page 46

February 2010 - Parks & Recreation

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