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Events |
June 9, 2007 Splash Cove
Dedication PodCast
Marv: This is a Shawnee Pod Cast. I’m Marv and its Saturday morning,
June 9th, 2007 and I’m here at John Lynch Park downtown Shawnee at 58th &
King where they’ve just dedicated Splash Cove the Jim Allen Aquatic
Center. If you haven’t seen it yet you’ve gotta come take a look; this
place is amazing and a whole lot of fun. At today’s dedication ceremony,
Neil Holman Shawnee’s Director of Parks & Recreation told everyone what
you find when you get here.
Neil Holman: 25 foot spiral slide. I hear it’s dark & scary, but fun. The
crowd pleasing 350 gallon conch shell that gets everybody wet, we’ve got
splash buckets, we’ve got spray guns, we’ve got 3 slides, a water fall,
spray fountains along with our themed friends. We’ve got the cow fish,
we’ve got the yellow tang fish in the back, the green lip grouper Gus is
up there, and then we’ve got JT the Turtle. For the toddlers we’ve got a
wave pool that was constructed with an underwater scene mural, an
instructional pool that was built for swim lessons, water aerobics classes
and with an ADA ramp for the ease of access of getting in and out the
pool. The bath house includes two new locker rooms, family changing rooms,
the larger concession area and a party pavilion. The City is able to
provide services for the swim lessons, aerobic classes, community
recreational swimming and much more. Attendance has already exceeded our
expectations. After several years of planning and development and hard
work we are very pleased to dedicate this facility in honor of Jim Allen
to the citizens of Shawnee.
Marv: That’s Shawnee’s Director of Parks & Recreation Neil Holman. Here’s
what Mayor Jeff Meyers had to say.
Mayor Jeff Meyers: With Wonderscope next door look at what we have to
offer. I can’t tell you how many residents stopped me during Old Shawnee
Days to tell me how excited they were about this new facility and the
downtown area.
Marv: Mayor Jeff Meyers, and here’s what the new facilities name sake Jim
Allen had to say about Splash Cove at the Jim Allen Aquatic Center
Jim Allen: Thank you Mayor Meyers and the current City Council for naming
this great addition to downtown Shawnee after me. The reports that I have
received from several people that have brought their children to this pool
is that the City of Shawnee has hit a home run with the facility. Growing
up in Shawnee, two blocks from this facility, I would have never imagined
that I would some day have this honor. Again thank you from the bottom of
my heart.
Marv: I think that giant conch shell is just about full. And in a second
here, you’ll hear what that means.
Marv: After the dedication I spoke with Jonathan Ruder, Vice President of
Operations
for Yarger Design Group, the company that designed the project.
Marv: Do you have like the greatest job in the world?
Jonathan Ruder: Yes we do. To be able to theme a facility like this is
rare. Municipalities don’t often have the budgets to spend the kind of
effort to do this. Shawnee made it happen, which will really just adds
greatly to the overall effect.
Marv: How do you start? Do you sit down there with a blank page and you
come up with this. This is amazing!
Jonathan Ruder: Our theming consultant is quite adapted to this kind of
thing and it’s really getting an idea from the City of something they
like, a theme they like and then the designers roam with that idea and
play with it and try to make it happen.
Marv: And the theme they gave you was?
Jonathan Ruder: Under the sea
Marv: Jonathan Rooter, Vice President of Operations for Yarger Design Group. Want some
more facts. Facility includes 3 flume slides and a 350 gallon conch shell,
a 125 foot body slide, 4 foot instructional play area, 24” deep Mini-Wave
Pool, a party pavilion for parties of 24-30, a full concession stand,
Wi-Fi Access, bring the laptop. On-site parking and lots of it. A total of
134,000 gallons of fun. Again it’s at 58th & King, 5800 King Avenue,
Shawnee. Daily hours are 12:30 to 8:30 for the entire complex. Interactive
playground opens early at 10:30 Monday thru Friday for children 7 and
under. Daily fee is $5.00. There are other membership options. To find out
more, visit the Shawnee Civic Centre at 13817 Johnson Drive or call
913-631-5200, 631-5200. You’ve gotta come see it for yourself. This is
wonderful, a whole lot of fun and in the heart of downtown Shawnee. And
that’s a Shawnee podcast. Until next time, I’m Marv.
Marv: Oh, looks like the conch shell’s full again.
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