Contegra finishes aquatic facilities in St. Charles, Mo.
Edwardsville-based Contegra Construction Co. put the wraps to $18.5 million in improvements to two aquatic facilities for St. Charles, Mo.
Contegra teamed with Capri Pools & Aquatics on the Blanchette Family Aquatic Facility and Wapelhorst Family Aquatic Facility. Both feature enhanced amenities similar to those found in waterparks. The City of St. Charles Parks and Recreation Department opened the aquatic centers on May 24.
“Attendance at the new water parks has been great and reflects a thoughtful approach to master planning that tapped citizens who use the facilities,” said Maralee Britton, director, St. Charles Parks and Recreation. “Contegra was very thorough in executing the masterplan, paying close attention to every detail. It met all of our expectations.”
The aquatic facilities were designed by North Carolina-based Kimley-Horn and Associates with input from citizens during six public hearings. The 11-month-long fast-track construction entailed demolishing existing facilities and strategically managing delivery of materials to the tight site and performing installations to have both aquatic facilities ready for the Memorial Day weekend opening.
Among the more challenging complexities was the delivery and installation of the Boomerango – a more than 350-foot-long enclosed inner-tube waterslide that is a featured element of the Wapelhorst aquatic facility. The larger of the two aquatic facilities, Wapelhorst is located at 1875 Muegge Road. In addition to the Boomerango, its rebuild features a 5,624-square-foot lazy river, leisure pool, a zero depth entry children’s Aqua Play pool, the Poolsider Slide, Aqua Tube Slide and wet ledge.
Located at 1900 W Randolph St., the Blanchette aquatic facility is highlighted by a rock climbing wall over water, a 182-foot-long Poolsider slide, an Aqua Tube Slide and a Drop Slide. It also features a 4,674-square-foot lap pool, a nearly 4,000-square-foot leisure pool, a 4,929-square-foot children’s Aqua Play pool with zero-depth entry and a 1,008-square-foot, deep-water pool. A new bathhouse and filter building complete the new construction.
Both projects were funded by Proposition P, a half-cent sales tax approved by voters in August 2016 that also funds storm water improvements.
Joining Contegra, Capris Pools and Kimley-Horn on the projects were Councilman-Hunsaker, aquatics design subcontractor, and Navigate Building Solutions, the construction management firm.
Based in St. Louis, Capris Pools & Aquatics specializes in engineering, building and maintaining all types of aquatic centers, water parks, natatoriums, municipal swimming pools and a variety of recreational centers. The firm has delivered more than 30 aquatic projects in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado, Kentucky, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Ohio. Learn more at www.capripool.com.
PHOTO: Wapelhorst water feature.
