The city has rescheduled the opening of the new Scheels Aim High Big Sky Aquatic and Recreation Center for July 9.
City officials will hold a ribbon cutting at 10 a.m., followed by tours and the facility will then be open for full operation.
Passes and memberships are available for presale at the Great Falls Park and Recreation office at 1700 River Drive and at the new aquatics facility in Lions Park at 900 29th Ave. S.
Opening of city’s new aquatic center postponed
The full list of prices and fees is here.
City officials had projected opening the facility in May, but was delayed.
A ribbon cutting was scheduled for June 28 with the public opening set for June 29.
Those were delayed due to a glitch with the electrical system “that is beyond the control of the contractor and owner,” according to Great Falls Park and Recreation. “Once we have a clear fix and for definitive information for the situation, we will publish a new date for the ribbon cutting and opening of the facility. We apologize for any inconveniences this may cause.”
Park and Recreation Director Steve Herrig told The Electric that “the electrical inverter fried several light modules, mainly with the emergency light system, which is needed for occupancy.”
He said the issue was repaired and shouldn’t add any increases to the construction cost of the facility.
New aquatic facility set to open late June; city amending its budget, holding frog slide naming contest
The new facility includes an eight-lane lap pool, sauna, full court gymnasium, changing rooms, cardio and weight machines, an elevated walking track, splash pad, water slide, classes and more.
Park and Rec held a social media contest to name the frog slide feature at the new facility.
Submit name suggestions here.
The city took nominations in June and opened voting on the top six names on their Facebook page.
The top six names are: Fergie, Ribbit, Gibby, Lily P., Toady and Fritz.
Fritz was the winner.
The new indoor aquatics and recreation facility is about 45,000 square feet of new construction and the project included site work such as excavation, new utility extensions, new parking lots, playgrounds, and landscaping.
The building will be multi-functional and will include a recreation pool, lap pool, gym, fitness center, walking track, multipurpose room, party room, locker rooms, restrooms, child watch area, attractive lobby with seating and fireplace, reception area, offices, storage and mechanical rooms, and an elevator.
City Commission to consider aquatic center change order during April 16 meeting
The city received a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for the project that was identified in the 2016 Park and Recreation Master Plan. The city will match that with $10 million through the sale of bonds by the park district.
The facility will be city owned and managed, but will also help the military with their water training needs for both Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard.
City Commissioners conducted a public hearing on June 18 on a budget amendment for the new aquatic center that they approved unanimously.
Commissioners adopted their budget for the current fiscal year in July 2023.
That budget runs from July 1, 2023 to June 30.
City approves new recreation fees, including fees for new aquatics facility
The budget for the new aquatic center wasn’t included in that budget due to variables with construction and opening the facility, according to staff, and they decided to present an individual budget closer to its opening.
The proposed budget amendments address construction costs, one-time start-up purchases, fundraising costs and a three-month operation budget.
The original construction budget was $20,000,000 with $10,000,000 coming from a federal grant and the other half from debt service through the park maintenance district.
Through seven change orders over the construction project, the total is now estimated at $21,049,453.43, and a budget amendment is needed to include the additional $1,049,453.
The additional construction cost is being funded by:
- $622,723 in donations
- $339,278 from park maintenance district assessments
- $87,434 from a tourism grant
Agenda reports for those change orders indicated that additional construction costs would be funded by donations or, if needed, the park maintenance district.
The total amount of donations pledged at this time is $1,725,000, including the $200,000 tourism grant, but not all of those pledges will be received in time to make payments on the construction costs, according to city finance staff, and will be received over the next five years.
So far, $643,373 has been received in donations, with $622,723 being used for construction and $20,650 reserved for scholarships.
Staff hasn’t yet determined if future donations will be used to reimburse the park maintenance district or be used for operating the new facility.
The timing of reimbursement for the federal grant and additional construction costs will deplete the cash balance of the park maintenance district by the end of this fiscal year on June 30, according to city finance staff, and cash will be available in that fund for park projects in December.
The proposed budget also allocates $112,566 from the tourism grant and $262,434 from the park special revenue fund for $375,000 in one-time startup costs that aren’t covered by current donations and weren’t included in the construction contract.
Those one-time startup purchases are:
- $175,500 for fitness equipment
- $50,250 for furniture
- $31,000 for security cameras
- $20,550 for a sign
- $3,760 for scoreboards
- $20,000 for concessions equipment
- $50,000 for startup IT needs
- $23,940 for miscellaneous equipment
Staff hasn’t yet determined if future donations will be used to reimburse the park special revenue fund for covering those one-time startup costs or for facility operations.
Commissioners approved a contract with Bannack Group, LLC for sponsorship/fundraising services in March 2022 for the new facility.
The contract was to be paid by donations, park special revenue funds, or the sale of Pasta Montana land, which would be deposited in the park special revenue fund.
According to finance staff, there are not enough donations to cover the contract costs, which are projected to be $218,342.82 by June 30, when the contract is set to end.
The city will use park special revenue funds to cover those costs and staff hasn’t yet determined if future donations or the sale of the Pasta Montana land will be used to reimburse that fund.
City staff developed an operations budget for April 1 through June 30 for the new facility that has a projected $180,000 deficit.
The current recreation fund has a cash deficit of $182,856.23 as of May 20 and its deficit is projected to be more than $200,000 by the end of this fiscal year.
The swimming pool fund has a current cash balance of $526,702.09 and staff is recommending transfering $180,000 from that fund to cover the deficit in the new facility’s budget.
Staff also developed a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which runs July 1 through June 30, 2025.
That budget has a projected $200,000 deficit and staff has not yet identified funding to cover that deficit.
The facility’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year includes a $178,000 general fund subsidy.
Due to budget constraints, city staff also adjusted their hiring plans for the facility.
The city had initially planned to hire a facility maintenance position, but have decided to break those duties into other areas, according to Park and Rec Director Steve Herrig.
A pool specialist will handle pool maintenance and custodians will handle facility cleaning, Herrig staff. He said they’d been waiting to fill the custodial positions before ordering supplies to get their input. They were also waiting on some technical data sheets to know what cleaning materials and can can’t be used on certain surfaces, he said.
The contractor has a cleaning crew that has been cleaning and will do a final cleaning before the city takes over the building, Herrig said.
Herrig said last week that the two custodians have been hired and the city has begun ordering supplies.
One of those custodians contacted The Electric and said he had since quit.
Herrig said the department has employees with expertise to handle other facility maintenance issues.
For background on the new aquatic facility, see our previous coverage:
Opening of city’s new aquatic center postponed
New city aquatic center opening set
New aquatic facility set to open late June; city amending its budget, holding frog slide naming contest
City approves aquatic center change order, Nat demo payment; discusses funding for new facility
City Commission to consider aquatic center change order during April 16 meeting
City approves new recreation fees, including fees for new aquatics facility
City proposes fee structure for new aquatics center; planning June opening
Commission approves aquatic center change order
City considering change order for aquatic center
New aquatic center on track to open in May, staff discusses operations, fees
City approves aquatic center change order
City Commission to consider indoor aquatic center change order
City receives $1 million from Scheels to name new aquatics facility
City to consider change order for new indoor aquatic facility
City approves change order for new aquatic center
Construction progressing on city’s new indoor aquatic facility
City approves contract changes for indoor aquatics center
City considering change orders for indoor aquatics center
City reduces cost for aquatic center construction; approves fundraising agreement
City reduces construction contract cost for aquatic center
City staff recommending $18.43 million contract for new aquatic center
City postpones decision on aquatic center construction contract
Staff asking commission to postpone award of aquatic center contract for more review time
City breaks ground on indoor aquatics, recreation center
City considering water main contract for aquatic center on Aug. 17
DoD finds no violation in city process for aquatic center
City budget approved; work on aquatics center continuing
Commissioners approve permit, aggregation and vacating streets for aquatics center
Commission holding public hearings on portions of aquatic center project during May 18 meeting
City Commission sets public hearing on permit for aquatics facility
City Commission scheduled to set public hearing on new aquatic center during April 20 meeting
City planning board unanimously recommends permit approval for aquatic center in Lions Park
City to receive $20 million in COVID funds; aquatic center plan updated; GFPD chief replacement process underway; Civic Center facade contract pushed to April 6
City, design team update neighborhood on aquatics facility plans
City continuing plans on aquatics center for Lions Park
Park Board supports aquatics center move to Lions; discusses visitor center lease, legislation that could impact park maintenance district
City proposes Lions Park as new site for aquatics facility
DoD finds no violation in city process for aquatic center
City has been awarded $10 million grant for indoor aquatics facility
Great Falls one of 16 invited to formally apply for DOD grant for new aquatics facility
Commission votes to apply for $10 million federal grant for joint aquatics facility; use park district funds to match
City, Malmstrom partnering for grant for potential new, joint indoor aquatics facility
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