Apex Center of McKinney, Texas Named Aquatics International Dream Design

One of the country’s fastest-growing cities made a historic investment to see an aquatic center for its citizens. The substantial structure, covered in windows and glowing with natural light, features a clever traffic layout.

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Photos by Chuck Smith

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Apex Center
McKinney, Texas

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Architect: Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects
Aquatic Designer/Consultant: Counsilman-Hunsaker
Landscape Architect: MESA
Builder: Manhattan Construction
Design Architect, Recreation: Moody Nolan Inc.
Interior Design: Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects
MEP & Technology: M-E Engineers
Structural Engineering: L.A. Fuess Partners
Civil Engineering: Cross Engineering Consultants


Civic duty

Not only does this aquatics center deserve recognition for its design, but it indicates the faith communities have in the vital role of these facilities for improving lives and generating revenue.

For several years, McKinney, Texas has experienced some of the fastest growth in the U.S., with the population jumping from 54,000 to more than 170,000 in 16 years. City officials so strongly believed in the necessity of an aquatics center that it devoted the largest single capital investment in its history. Funding came from sales taxes and bond funds, but the center has to financially support itself.

For broad appeal, the design team included a 10,000-square-foot leisure pool with a spray play area, current channel, wet lounge and 770-square-foot toddler pool. Four waterslides round out the area. Inside, visitors find a waterslide, 11-lane competition pool, and a leisure pool with splash play area, play structure, current channel and three additional laps lanes.

To minimize staff requirements, the building has a split-level setup. Patrons enter on the second floor and immediately see the aquatics center below and fitness facilities above. This makes the space easy for clients to navigate and for staff to monitor and control.

Only a year and a half after it was completed, the 81,000-square-foot center enjoys membership of more than 18,000 individuals, meaning it has essentially reached capacity.

SUPPLIER LIST:
ADA lift: S.R. Smith
Continuous linear track light: Winona
Controller/control system: BECS Technology
Dehumidifier: Dectron
Destratification fans: Big Ass Solutions
Filtration: Neptune-Benson
Floor covering: SGM
Interactive waterfeatures: Vortex Aquatic Structures International; Water Odyssey
Ladder/grab bar: Spectrum Aquatics
Lockers: Columbia Lockers
Pool cleaner: Harmsco; Aqua Products
Pool edge handhold tile: Buchtal
Pool lighting: SPI Lighting
Pumps: Aurora
Racing lines: AntiWave Pool Products; Daltile
Sanitation system: Pulsar; G.H. Stenner & Co.; ETS
Scoreboard/timing systems: Colorado Time Systems
Slides: SplashTacular Entertainment
Springboards: Durafirm/Duraflex International

About the Author

Rebecca Robledo

Rebecca Robledo is deputy editor of Pool & Spa News and Aquatics International. She is an award-winning trade journalist with more than 25 years experience reporting on and editing content for the pool, spa and aquatics industries. She specializes in technical, complex or detail-oriented subject matter with an emphasis in design and construction, as well as legal and regulatory issues. For this coverage and editing, she has received numerous awards, including four Jesse H. Neal Awards, considered by many to be the “Pulitzer Prize of Trade Journalism.”

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