Renovations brighten Bentonville's pool building

Caila Hanus of Rogers pulls in lane dividers Friday at the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center in Bentonville. Recent renovations were completed in time for the pool’s season, which began last week.
Caila Hanus of Rogers pulls in lane dividers Friday at the Melvin Ford Aquatic Center in Bentonville. Recent renovations were completed in time for the pool’s season, which began last week.

BENTONVILLE -- Danielle Keller expected to rush through the Melvin Ford Aquatic bathhouse when she took her two children to the outdoor community pool Friday.

But the freshly painted, brightly lit, clean dressing room, equipped with new fixtures pleasantly surprised the Bentonville resident. What used to be shabby is now bright and cheery, thanks to the $515,000 renovations the building underwent over the winter and spring.

Web watch

For more information about pools in Bentonville, Fayetteville, Prairie Grove, Rogers, Siloam Springs and Springdale, go to the following websites:

http://www.bentonvi…">Melvin Ford Aquatic Center

http://www.fayettev…">Wilson Park Pool

http://www.prairieg…">Prairie Grove Aquatic Park

http://rogersar.gov…">Rogers Aquatic Center

http://www.siloamsp…"> Siloam Springs Family Aquatic Center

http://www.springda…">Springdale Aquatic Center

Source: Staff report

Pick-It Construction finished the largely cosmetic renovations in time for the center's opening May 27.

"It was pretty dark and dingy," Keller said of the building before the remodel. "I would not even change in there ... I would use the facility now. It felt welcoming. It felt clean to use."

The pool saw more than 200 people by 2:30 p.m. Friday, according to Parks and Recreation employees at the front desk.

[EMAIL UPDATES: Get free breaking news updates and daily newsletters with top headlines delivered to your inbox]

The bathhouse includes administration offices, the cashier counter, dressing rooms with showers, toilets and sinks, storage rooms and a concession stand.

"It's the same shell of the building, but everything in it is going to look brand new," David Wright, parks and recreation director, said in an interview prior to the pool opening. "It's a lot more modern now than what it used to be."

The new ventilation system circulates air better, reducing the odor the building once had. The new lighting and paint transformed the interior to be more welcoming and comfortable.

New lockers, benches, shower heads, mirror and sinks are better equipped to serve individuals who want to work out at the pool as well as the families who enjoy it, Wright said.

This is the first major cosmetic upgrade since the center opened in 1992.

Maintenance work and upgrades have been done to the pool and its equipment during the last 2 1/2 decades, but much of the bathhouse was original, Wright said.

The exterior was painted red, and a green metal roof replaced the old shingle roof, making the aesthetics more cohesive with other city buildings.

The building was in need of a facelift, Mayor Bob McCaslin has previously said. The renovation brought it up to city standards and taxpayers' expectations.

The aquatic center has options for swimmers of all ages and abilities, from the 1-foot-deep wading pool with a raindrop fountain to a competitive pool that ranges from 3 to 8 feet deep. It also has a 13-foot-deep diving well with two 1-meter spring diving boards and one 12-foot-tall water slide, according to the Parks and Recreation website.

"The facility is one of the most popular recreational destinations in the parks system during the summer months," Wright wrote in a memo to the City Council in April 2016. "In 2015, more than 50,000 people used the facility for open, instructional and competitive swim."

The aquatic center is at 2000 N.E. Memorial Park Square.

Prairie Grove, Rogers, Siloam Springs and Springdale also opened their aquatic centers and community pools over Memorial Day weekend.

Fayetteville's Wilson Park Pool opens today, according to the city's website. It will offer four Dive-In Movies throughout the summer. It's located at 675 N. Park Ave.

NW News on 06/03/2017

Upcoming Events