For 22 years, the Cassville Aquatic Center has brought fun in the sun to the summertime with splashes and smiles.
This year, during the 22nd anniversary summer of the opening of the pool, people are reflecting on how the park started.
In September 1999, the original design of the pool was brought to the city council. At that time, the $1.4 million project was altered once from the original design by consolidating four different pool area into one large pool.
The project was described as “an investment in recreation” by Councilman-Hunsaker, a pool consulting firm out of St. Louis.
The facility was sized to accommodate 500 visitors per day.
The construction was described as “aggressive”, and the project would be financed through a halfcent sales tax implemented earlier that year.
During that September board meeting, the plan was to put the project to bid in December 1999, and award a contract by January 2000.
The groundbreaking would then follow by Feb. 1, 2000. The construction was expected to be fairly easy, with 11-15 feet of dirt before the limestone bedrock, the “aggressive” timeline seemed possible.
The September meeting was led by Representative Bucher, Willis and Ratcliff, an engineering firm out of Kansas City, and Councilman-Hunsaker.
In October, the city council pool design was finalized.
A 7,200-square-foot pool space with a fourlane fitness lap, a circular kiddie pool and a large zero-depth entry leisure pool, meaning entering the pool would be similar to walking into a body of water off a beach, would be coming to Cassville.
Other features for the pool included a 108-foot water slide, one-meter diving board and a large play structure which included a children’s slide, spray features, water drop and a rainfall feature.
There was a project bid with an alternate plan to include a second slide and more features.
At that time, October 1999, the estimated construction budget was $1.7 million.
The operating costs of the pool were planned to be covered by entry fees.
By December 1999, Cassville city aldermen approved a $4.6 million spending plan for the year 2000, this was due almost entirely on the $1.75 million Aquatic Center plans.
In January 2000, the city realized the bids were coming in higher than what was projected.
The lowest bid came in at $1,947,040, almost $200,000 higher than expected. The highest bid came in at $2,368,600.
The aldermen were faced with choosing one of four options to lower the cost.
They could extend the financing period to 20 years, make cuts to the project, re-design the entire project, or adjust selected items in the contracts.
The city decided to make revisions to the plans and signed a contract for the lowest bid which came from MECO systems in Springfield.
These adjustments to the design would now include a second slide. The total cost would be $1,938,262 with a 15-year financing schedule.
Only 178 days after the groundbreaking of the Aquatic Center pool, the pool opened.
On July 5, 2000, residents enjoyed the cool feeling of water on a hot summer day.
The project came in under budget at $1.66 million.
Even though the project was delayed by rain, completing the project in only six months was described as an “amazing feat.”
The blue and white striped canopies, the red, yellow and blue picnic tables invited families to spend their summer days lounging and swimming at the Cassville Aquatic Center pool.
The area included a teen area with sand and a volleyball court.
The pool would operate under Jati Rose, city parks and recreation director. It was open Monday through Friday 1-9 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 1-6 p.m.
Swim sessions were offered 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, they cost $15 per twoweek session. Exercise classes were noon to 1 p.m. each day at a cost of $30 per month.
The cost to swim at the brand new Aquatic Center pool would be $3 per day.
The pool would host teen nights and family nights twice a month at $2 per person from 9 p.m. to midnight.
There were 22 employees, including five lifeguards on at all times.
At this time, the old pool located at the downtown City Park would be closed permanently.
For 21 summers, families and children have enjoyed the pool on the hot summer days in Cassville, and as it prepares to open for its 22nd summer, people will be welcomed by the red rainwater mushroom, the clear, cool blue water and the sound of splashing and laughter echoing through the pool area.
Rick Ragsdale, former director of the Cassville YMCA, was with the Cassville YMCA for nine years, but the pool has been managed by the YMCA for longer than that.
“The YMCA has a contract with the city to manage the pool,” he said. “The pool is meant to be a feature for the city — it is good for the community.”
One big change people saw last year was a price increase to $7 per day.
“All of the costs are based around staffing,” Minimum wage has increased to $10.30 up to $12, so it doubled our costs. The city helped offset that some.”
Last year, the Aquatic Center also expanded the Safety Around Water program.
“We expanded the program to include Exeter as well as Cassville,” he said. “It is not swim lessons, but it is similar. We teach the children how to be safe around water. We teach floating on their back, swim-float-swim to help them conserve energy, and to always ask an adult before getting into water.”
This program is offered to every first-grader in summer school for two weeks.
“We see some children who are a natural around water — maybe they have a pool or go to the lake often,” Ragsdale said. “But, there are some children who are nervous around water.
“With the natural bodies of water we have in our area, we want to keep the children safe.”
Ragsdale said the pool is one of his favorite things throughout the summer.
“Cassville is a small town,” he said. “But, we are blessed to have the Aquatic Center, the ball parks and the Greenway trails. The city puts a lot of focus on the parks department, those guys work so hard, and we are lucky to have it all in our backyards.”
Another interesting thing about the Aquatic Center is the ability to hire young high school age people to work the pool.
“We work with a lot of young people,” he said. “It is a fun place [for them] to work and it teaches them a lot, especially self discipline.”
The Aquatic Center employs about 30 people each summer.
“The lifeguards go through extensive training, with 30 hours of in water training plus written exams, then they have four hours of training every month,” Ragsdale said.
This summer, people can enjoy the Aquatic Center, and know the fun they are having is more than 21 years in the making.
People can visit, https://www.orymca. org/ to learn more about swim lessons and other programs.
AQUATIC PARK
What: 22nd anniversary
More: How the Aquatic Center started
Also: What to enjoy today
