By Makenzie Heddens

Daily Staff Writer

The Furman Aquatic Center is expected to open this month, but its opening could be pushed back due to the weather.

Bad weather has delayed the opening date, because the area needs to be dry for construction to continue.

The $10.5 million Furman Aquatic Center is 25,000 square feet. It includes two large slides, a lazy river, a recreational pool for children, diving boards and eight lanes to accommodate competitive swimmers. A concession building is also under construction, along with several restroom and locker facilities.

Scott Hock, recreation supervisor for the Ames Parks and Recreation Department, says he’s very happy with the construction, and it will be a nice, visible place for everyone in Ames to go.

The facility is located at 1635 13th St., which Hock said is a prime location, because it’s in the middle of the city and behind Ames High School.

The aquatic center will have limited parking, so biking and the use of CyRide is encouraged. There will be a shuttle going back and forth between the high school and the pool, so people can make use of the school parking lot.

The aquatic center is built next to Squaw Creek in a flood zone. The facility was built up 14 extra feet to ensure it does not flood. Hock said he anticipates that if there is another bad flood, the water would rise over 13th Street before overtaking the pool.

He said there would have to be an extremely bad flood that residents have never experienced for it to flow over 13th Street. The parking lot, however, is not elevated.

Citizens of Ames approved the funding for the aquatic center in July of 2007. Donald and Ruth Furman partially funded the project with a donation of $2 million.

Half the money was used for construction of the facility, and the other half is to be used for future upkeep. A donation of $1 million was also made by a private donor from Ames.