Wheeling Park District completes planning and design phase for new outdoor aquatic Center
The Wheeling Park District has completed the planning and design phase for a new outdoor aquatic center to replace the existing Family Aquatic Center.
Originally opened in 1993, the Family Aquatic Center has served as a regional aquatic destination for over 30 years. During this time, the Family Aquatic Center welcomed more than 2.2 million visitors, averaging approximately 70,000 guests annually, and has continued to function as a regional outdoor aquatic destination and the community’s choice for aquatics, with 41% of park district residents visiting the center annually.
In 2024, the Wheeling Park District retained Counsilman-Hunsaker to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the facility and evaluate options for its future, including repair and renovation, replacement at the existing Heritage Park site or relocation. The independent assessment confirmed that the aging infrastructure would require significant reinvestment to remain operational and identified a minimum of $7.8 million in necessary repairs. This assessment also recommended further investigation, noting that additional deficiencies were likely to be identified. These additional deficiencies would increase the cost significantly, making continued maintenance and reinvestment no longer fiscally responsible. As a result, the district’s board of commissioners directed staff to proceed with planning and design for a new outdoor aquatic facility.
In February 2025, the Wheeling Park District issued a Request for Proposal to qualified professionals for architectural services, including site and facility layout, civil engineering and architectural design in connection with a new outdoor aquatic center. The district received submissions from six architectural firms. After a thorough review and interview process, on April 1, 2025, the Board of Commissioners authorized a contract for architectural services with Confluence.
As part of the planning and design phase, Confluence designed a conceptual site layout to illustrate the proposed design and organization of the future aquatic center. The concept highlights key aquatic amenities, support spaces, and circulation throughout the facility, with an emphasis on enhancing the guest experience and improving operational efficiency.
Planned aquatic amenities include a recreation pool with varied depths, a resort-style leisure pool, a zero-depth entry play structure, a splash pad, and a slide complex featuring body slides, drop slides and a vertical drop slide. These features are designed to serve a wide range of ages, abilities and recreational preferences. Inclusive design elements, such as zero-depth entry features, interactive play areas and nonswimming attractions, will support accessibility and family-friendly use.
The concept also incorporates improved operational infrastructure, including a dedicated mechanical building to house state-of-the-art filtration and treatment systems. Additional guest amenities are planned throughout the site, including food and beverage services, shaded seating areas, cabanas, party shelters, landscaped terraces and an overlook terrace with integrated water features to enhance comfort and overall enjoyment.
The Wheeling Park District will continue to share information as the project progresses.
For more information, visit wheelingparkdistrict.com.