Hurst water park makeover is heating up

In May, the Chisholm Aquatics Center was literally under water because of the nonstop rains, and city officials wondered when workers would be able start on the multimillion-dollar renovations.

Now that the ground has dried up, workers are scurrying about the construction site, putting finishing touches on concrete decks and roofs on buildings.

Cranes are in place to hoist the water slides into position.

The lazy river and the concrete decks are finished. Workers are putting roofs on the pavilions and on the main building.

“Everything was at a standstill; we didn’t know what we were going to do,” said Allan Heindel, Hurst deputy city manager, describing how the construction workers sat in their trucks as the rain fell.

But in June when officials saw that the ground was dry enough for the construction, the work progressed quickly, and Heindel said it should be completed by mid-September.

Water park enthusiasts, however, will have to wait until next summer to visit the newly renovated aquatics center, he said.

The new center's features will include a lazy river, a deep pool with two diving boards, a large play area, slides, a pool for toddlers and cabanas.

The city decided to do a complete $8 million makeover of the Chisholm facility after a study determined that it would be more cost-effective to demolish the facility, which dates back to the 1990s, and rebuild it.

The funds come from an economic development sales tax.

There are still places to cool off in Hurst this summer. People are heading to the Central Aquatics Center, and Heindel said that attendance is ranging from 500 to 800 visitors per day.

This story was originally published August 10, 2015 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Hurst water park makeover is heating up."