City moving forward with aquatics center construction project

Even Elmer Thomas Park’s prairie dogs got an honorable mention at Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for Lawton’s new aquatics center.

That 42,200-square-foot facility, projected to be ready to provide water fun by the Fourth of July Weekend 2025, is the latest upgrade planned for Lawton’s largest park. It’s an area that already attracts locals and out-of-town visitors because of its variety of recreational amenities — including the furry critters loved by visitors but viewed skeptically by city officials because of the damage they tend to inflict.

While prairie dogs weren’t necessarily invited to Tuesday’s ceremony, they did watch from their burrows and earned a tongue-in-cheek mention from City Manager John Ratliff, who asked why it was necessary to break ground for the aquatics center when the prairie dogs already had the ground broken.

City officials lauded that new aquatics complex, with Parks and Recreation Director Larry Parks calling the groundbreaking “another historic moment” as the City of Lawton continued its efforts to transform the park. Mayor Stan Booker called the complex “an exciting milestone,” one made possible by residents who approved PROPEL 2040, the Capital Improvements Program that will be funding a variety of projects, including those designed to make Lawton friendlier to families.

“We’re really excited about what’s going on here in the City of Lawton,” said J.D. Clark, the Guernsey architect who designed the plans that will allow Miller-Tippens Construction to build a complex that will feature a zero-entry pool (meaning, like a shoreline), diving pool, toddler and lap pools, group slide and lazy river, along with amenities such as a concessions area that will serve both the aquatics center and Elmer Thomas Park at large.

Clark said the facility is designed to appeal to all ages. For example, senior citizens in other communities use their lazy rivers for low-impact walking during the morning hours, before the rivers open to those who want to float or swim.

The complex will be built south and west of Elmer Thomas Park’s spray park and within walking distance of Playground in the Park, part of an effort to create a complex attractive to youth and families.

Sam Miller, co-owner of Miller-Tippens Construction, said the plan is to start construction within two to three weeks, a timeline that work crews will need to follow closely if they want the complex open for customers by July 4, 2025. The City Council awarded the $19.1 million construction project to Miller-Tippens earlier this year, and council members have said they want city youth using the complex on the Fourth of July.

As for the prairie dogs: many of the ones who watched Tuesday’s ceremony won’t be in Lawton when the park opens next year. In mid- to late October, wildlife biologists and representatives from three wildlife management areas will be in the park to capture many of the prairie dogs and relocate them to new homes.