Coon Rapids, Iowa

Project Manager: Karla Engleen

Superintendent: Judd Harmer

Architectural Work: Water Technology, Inc.

Contract Amount: $393,246.00

Completion Date: May 1998

Project Description:

The City of Coon Rapids had a worn out old swimming pool that was chewing a massive hole in the City budget due to the extremely high cost of maintenance.  Rather than simply building a new pool, this progressive community decided to construct a complete aquatic center, the first of its kind in a several county area.  The pool features a full 6 lane, 25 yard competition area with a diving well, a large zero depth entry wading area with several water features, and a 30’ high tubular water slide.

In addition to the pool, the complex features a bath house with full restroom/changing rooms for both men and women, a large well equipped concession stand, and an office area as well as space for all of the mechanical equipment necessary to maintain the pool.  The well planned layout allows patrons to walk directly through a breezeway in the bathhouse controlled by coiling overhead doors and onto the pool deck area or slip into one of the restrooms directly adjacent to the breezeway.

A large shade structure provides a cooler area adjacent to the concession stand to help patrons cool off while enjoying a snack.  The combination of grassy areas and vast amounts of pool deck space help make sure the facility has something for everyone to enjoy during their visit.  

For its part in the project, Shriver Construction Company served as the General Contractor for the bathhouse which included the construction of the bathhouse as well as the pool deck and site fencing.  Separate prime contracts were issued by the City for construction of the pool itself, the waterslide, mechanical work, and electrical work.

Unusual or Unique Features:  

As the project was constructed by use of five separate prime contractors, tremendous coordination was necessary to assure that each contractor had their work completed in a sequence that kept the project on schedule.  To further complicate this, the project was begun in late fall and with a scheduled spring completion.  Failure to complete the project on this tight schedule would leave the City without a pool until the final completion date, which given the rather short outdoor pool season in West Central Iowa would have been a financial burden on the City.

Construction of the bathhouse was further complicated by a large underground overflow tank that was built under the building.  The cast in place concrete tank required a large, deep excavation and careful placement of reinforcing steel as well as water stop material to prevent future leakage.  Finally the cast in place “lid” required extensive shoring to hold the forms in place while the lid cured and reached its full design strength.  Once the lid reached the required strength, the shoring and forms had to be cut up and removed through the manhole opening in the lid.  All of this concrete work forced the masonry bathhouse structure to be constructed in the winter months entirely within heated shelters creating an even greater need for careful coordination among the various prime contractors.  

Through careful planning the project was successfully completed on schedule thus allowing the City to open on time and enjoy a complete initial season in its new facility.