The Aim High Big Sky Aquatic and Recreation Center, a joint project between the City of Great Falls and the Department of Defense, has been in the design and construction phase since the fall of 2021.
“We are about one month, one and a half months, out. We're kind of finishing the installation of flooring, siding, getting all the special elements in so that we can open the facility to the public,” said Jessica Compton, deputy director for Great Falls Park and Recreation.
Workout equipment, furniture, and final detail items should be arriving soon, keeping them on track for their projected grand opening date.
“We're trying to open June 15th, obviously it is a construction project, so you want to make sure everything is correct. We don't want to rush anything. If there are issues, we want to make sure it's handled correctly and responsibly so that we don't have to close later for some sort of mistake or construction issue that needs to be fixed,” Compton said.
The city’s proposed fees for memberships and other fees have been approved and they are planning to have very flexible hours to suit everyone in the community’s needs.
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Over the course of three years, Park and Recreation staff have been working to update fees, obtain permits, and work out the final details to ensure this new center will be a great facility for everyone in the community to enjoy.
“It's great to see like a building where it's just the open space of land and then it's developed, and now we have this beautiful aquatic and recreation center that's here for the community, and it's nice that it's in an established park. There's plenty of parking around the community is able to access it, whether they use the bus, they drive themselves, or they walk. It's totally accessible,” added Compton.
The center will feature a large lap pool, workout equipment, a sauna, and several other amenities.
“We look forward to being open to the public a variety of hours Monday through Friday, 5:30am to 9pm, Saturday 7am to 6pm and Sunday 10am-6pm. We feel like that'll kind of give our community a lot of opportunities to come in and try it out, and we're just excited for everyone to see the completed project,” said Compton.
If there are no setbacks in completing the construction, they plan to open on June 15th.
It is located in Lions Park along 10th Avenue South. Click here for more information.
