Making a splashA new aquatic facility offers wellness benefits to people of all ages. It will be a valuable resource for teaching youngsters and adults to swim and a place where families can gather. The City of Marshall is currently in the process of designing a new aquatic facility based off community input and feedback. In 2021, the city hired Stockwell Engineering as the project lead for the new facility design and logistics. It will also be a hub for events and a place where water safety, swimming lessons and fitness classes can all be held.
The new aquatic facility will be able to accommodate more features, better meet stormwater requirements and will be able to accommodate more users. The newly constructed universally accessible aquatic facility will be approximately 20,000 square feet of water and include the following proposed amenities:
- Multipurpose 8-Lane Lap Pool
- Multiple Diving Boards
- Zero-Depth Activity Pool
- Leisure Pool with Leisure River and Play Features
- Fully Updated, ADA Accessible Bath House
- Splash Pad - Accessible Outside Normal Operating Hours for Extended Season Use
- Slide Complex with 2 or 3 Different Slides
- Ample Green Space for Family Gathering
- Concessions
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Treading Water: The Need for a Solution
The current Aquatic Center has served the Marshall community for over 50 years, with the main pool being in existence since 1938. The pool provides many things for our community such as a safe place for all ages, an opportunity to learn how to swim, summer employment for young adults, adult swim, water aerobics, and family fun. The current facility has outlived its life expectancy and now needs to be replaced. The need for an improved aquatic facility was established through studies and extensive community input. In 2018, the City conducted an assessment and study on the current facility. The study determined that the structures at the current facility are deteriorating, and many areas of the building do not meet the American with Disabilities Act. The structures of both the lap/general use-pool and diving pool have significant cracking and structural deterioration at the gutter joint, internal expansion joints, and wall to floor interface. Water intrusion is evident by the delamination of the concrete surface and associated tile and plaster finishes at these locations. City staff has documented that the lap/general-use pool and diving pool are currently losing water due to leaks at a rate of 12,000 to 15,000 gallons per day (1,080,000 to 1,350,000 gallons per summer based on a three-month use period). This is an extreme amount of water loss for a pool vessel.
The existing bath house and concessions building suffers from many conditions typical of a building more than 50 years old. It has numerous code compliance issues and many of the building components are inadequate, function poorly or are decayed beyond reasonable repair. The building also has numerous issues with how it serves the users and presents itself to the public. Many areas of the building do not meet the American with Disabilities Act.
The mechanical and electrical systems have deteriorated and are in need of repair. Water line breaks are common and waste lines are failing. There is a significant problem of sewer gas entering the shower area of the building and staff have made a makeshift repair that needs replacement. The staff has had to make many repairs to the plumbing systems and these repairs are exposed and add to the poor appearance of the building. Exhaust fans are old and inadequate and provide poor ventilation within spaces and the electrical systems are original.
New Aquatic Facility Renderings
