Aquatics center taking shape in Elmer Thomas Park

Forms are taking shape in the center of Elmer Thomas Park, as Miller-Tippens Construction crews continue building Lawton’s newest water recreation center.

Construction work can be seen along Prairie Dog Way, with most of the distance between Northwest 6th and Northwest 3rd streets taken up by construction or holding areas related to the project. Contractors broke ground for the facility in mid-September and continue working under a timetable imposed by City Council members who want the facility open to the public by the Fourth of July Weekend, 2025. City officials said contractors and city engineers are slated to meet next week for an update on the project.

The $19.2 million project is creating a complex that will feature pools with diving boards and lap lanes, a lazy river, slides, changing rooms/bathrooms, a concessions area that will be able to serve the park in general year-round, and a parking lot. The new center is located south and west of Elmer Thomas Park’s popular splash park and the newly expanded Playground in the Park, a part of an effort to concentrate family-friendly amenities in one area.

City officials have said while the center is being built to serve Lawton residents, they predict it will be a lure to those who live outside the community. City officials also anticipate the new water recreation area will replace the municipal pool in Mattie Beal Park. That deteriorating structure needs significant upgrades if it is to continue serving Lawton youth, city officials have said.

Funding for the project is coming from the city’s Capital Improvements Program (CIP), although the council lessened that CIP allocation in October by directing city staff to use $6.75 million remaining in the City of Lawton’s American Rescue Plan Act allocation for the aquatics center.

Council members also took recent action to lessen the cost of the project, removing paving of the parking lot and changing framing materials in the concessions building to wood to trim $700,000 from what had been a $19.9 million initial contract. City administrators said the parking lot still will be paved, but done under a separate contract.

Engineers are weighing options that could trim more cost, to include eliminating air conditioning from the restrooms/changing rooms area and changing the building pad requirements based on soil conditions, allowing existing soil to be used rather than having to bring in fill material.