Besides presenting the opportunity to enjoy some of the best facility and waterpark designs in the world, learning about our Dream Design applicants and winners reveals stories showing just how much communities value public water.
For instance, two projects represent significant financial investments by cities that clearly place a high priority on aquatics. McKinney, Texas, one of the nation’s fastest growing cities, approved the largest funding package in its history to develop an indoor/outdoor family aquatics facility called the Apex Center. Meanwhile, Moore, Okla., dedicated part of its tornado-recovery funds to a splash pad serving the children who had lost their elementary school in the natural disaster. Those local kids chose a pirate theme, and the design team ran with it, creating the largest splash pad in the state.
On the private-sector side, four of the projects add to amenities packages enjoyed at resorts. Here, the final products are intensely ambitious, whether it’s Baha Mar, a network of 11 pools and spas serving three resort brands, or Parrot Cove, a wildly fun tropical-themed indoor waterpark that packs as many attractions and as much theming as possible into the space.
Aquatics facilities and waterparks make every place better. It’s good to see that communities recognize this value.