Park Forest, IL—(ENEWSPF)—The outlook for a 2025 Aqua Center season in Park Forest is bleak. The prospects for 2025 are indeed bleak. Kevin Adams, Park Forest Director of Recreation, Parks & Community Health, said, “I do not see a scenario where 2025 happens.”
The Aqua Center, a 70-year-old facility, needs major repairs, which, unless they happen quickly, could result in its permanent closure. The village has known for several years that all the pools had significant water leakage, which required removing the concrete to fix the piping. Adams estimates that addressing just the leaks would cost between $300,000 and $500,000.
So, the 2025 Aqua Center season appears bleak.
Making the Aqua Center More Attractive
Rather than fix the immediate leak issue, the village is taking a broader view and determining if attractions such as a splash pad and additional shade areas could enhance the Aqua Center.
To understand what is possible, the village hired Williams Architects of Itasca to conduct a feasibility study of what repairs and improvements could happen within a budget of $2.5 million. Adams noted that Williams is the state’s premier aquatics development architecture firm. Their website reveals extensive experience in aquatic projects, including Morton Grove, Waukegan, and Elgin developments.
The village board approved a study cost of “not to exceed $40,000” in September. Adams hopes to receive the firm’s recommendations in January. The village staff would then review the plans before submitting a final proposal to the village board for approval in late January or February. Once the board approves, the bid process will commence, with expected responses in March/April. Assuming the best case, construction work would begin in May 2025. However, the situation for 2025 remains bleak.
The multiple steps needed before work can begin led Adams to his outlook for this summer. “I do not expect there will be a 2025 season because of the scope of work that we need to do.”
The Financial Health of the Facility
The village currently subsidizes the Aqua Center by about $250,000 each season. Adams noted that subsidies such as this are common for aquatics centers in the Midwest that can only open a few months a year. He hopes that the enhancements to the Aqua Center will make it more of a regional draw, increasing revenue for the facility.
The Aqua Center opened in 1954. The facility found private financing from bondholders who saw the need for a pool in the young community. In 1974, the facility was purchased and run by the YMCA. In April 1983, the village bought it when the YMCA announced it was no longer interested in operating the facility.
Adams said that the village financial planners believe the village’s $2.5 million cost is affordable under the current budget. Opportunities for additional grants for the project will also be pursued.
Taking the Long View to 2026
While the 2025 closure is a disappointment to many, Adams cautions that “we need to be aggressive if we want to have a 2026 season.”
“No one wants to see the pool close for even a season, but everyone has to be aware that for the greater good, if the pool needs to close for a season so that it can remain a viable, sustainable part of the community for the next thirty years, then we all have to be OK with that because the alternative is the facility closes.”
