Six years after the idea was first floated, the new Baldwin County Aquatic Center at Walter B. Williams Jr. Park soon will become a reality.
The grand opening is set for May 22, just two days after Baldwin County School District kids get out of school for the summer. Some parts of the standard operating procedure are still being worked out, but most details have been finalized.
So, with this in mind, here are some answers to some common questions:
QUESTION: What are the amenities?
ANSWER: In no particular order, the amenities are a large swimming/lap pool, lazy river, splash pad, kiddie slide, “big” slide, picnic area/pavilion, concession stand and changing rooms.
QUESTION: What are the hours of operation?
ANSWER: The park will be open seven days a week between the hours of 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in June and July. The last two weeks of May and the month of August, meanwhile, will be weekends only. Also, county officials are still deciding whether or not to close the park for the season around Labor Day or continue operating through the end of September.
QUESTION: Will outside food and drink be allowed?
ANSWER: The answer is no, but county officials are proud of the facility’s concession stand, which will be “very large,” according to County Manager Carlos Tobar. Also, water fountains/water refilling stations will be located around the park.
QUESTION: What’s the entry fee?
ANSWER: Standard admission is $12, while the military discount is $8. There’s no admission for children under the age of 3. The group rate (20-plus people) is $9. In terms of season passes, a “single pass” is $75, while a family season pass (four people) is $200. Some of the logistics of the season passes are still being worked out.
QUESTION: What if I can’t swim?
ANSWER: The deepest water will be four feet. Tobar said that they learned this lesson from the waterpark in nearby Dublin, which recently concreted over the deeper parts of its swimming areas. This makes it much easier to hire lifeguards, and shallower water means that lifeguards don’t have to be certified in anything other than CPR. Certified lifeguard shortages have become an issue at municipal pools around Middle Georgia and the rest of the state.
QUESTION: What’s the plan for the lap pool?
ANSWER: Free swimming lessons will be offered between 8:30-10:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday during the month of June.
QUESTION: Will the water park be available for rent after regular hours?
ANSWER: Yes, which is why lights have been installed. Those details are still being worked out, though.
QUESTION: How much did the project cost?
ANSWER: The final price tag came out to $7 million, according to Tobar. SPLOST money covered most of the cost, while the county previously was awarded a $2.2 million grant for the project from the Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources also chipped in with a $447,000 “land water conservation grant.”
QUESTION: What’s the break-even point?
ANSWER: The new water park would have to generate $380,000 this year in order to not lose money. The goal is to turn a profit, said Tobar. However, it’s important to remember that the goal of government and the goal of private business are different. While the goal of private business is to maximize profit, the goal of government is to provide a “public good.” Said Tobar: “We definitely consider this a public good.”