Groundbreaking set for new aquatics facility in Columbia City
By Jennifer Romano | Talk of the Town - Whitley County
Officials announced the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Russel and Evelyn Fahl Aquatics Center will be held on August 29, 2017.
Social time will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the Groundbreaking Ceremony at 1 p.m.
Residents are invited to attend the event, which will be held on the south side of the former Burnworth Pool site at 325 N. Wayne Street, Columbia City. Guests are asked to enter from Wayne St. where parking will be available.
"We hope members of the community, who have been so supportive of this project, will come and be a part of this groundbreaking event," said parks and recreation superintendent Mark Green. "So many citizens have worked tirelessly to bring this Facility to fruition and we want the opportunity to celebrate with them!"
The $4.2 million project was developed out of a planning process from an Aquatics Facility Task Force that started in 2013. The Columbia City Park Board made the decision to move forward with the Center in late 2015. The Russel and Evelyn Fahl Aquatics Center replaces the 60-year-old Burnworth Pool with new amenities including two waterslides, zero-entry play structure, 25 meter competition pool, vortex channel, spray features, and lily pad walk.
"We are so excited to break ground on this major quality-of life venue," said Mayor Ryan Daniel. "We are especially appreciative to those in our community who put forth the dollars and the support it took to make this project a reality." Major donors to the project include the Russel and Evelyn Fahl Family, Dekko Foundation, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Northeast Indiana Regional Development Authority, Lutheran Health, Community Foundation of Whitley County, City of Columbia City, and many private contributions. The project is designed and engineered by Martin Riley Architects - Engineers and aquatics consulting firm Counsilman Hunsaker.
"The Russell and Evelyn Fahl Aquatics Center is a project that will truly impact the residents of Whitley County," said Michael Galbraith, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership's director of The Road to One Million. "It's inspiring to see so many organizations and Northeast Indiana residents come together to support a project that will improve quality of life and help our region attract and retain talent. It's clear that in order to grow our region, we must offer both quality employment and quality of place for our residents."
The Russel and Evelyn Fahl Aquatics Center was one of many projects included in The Road to One Million regional plan and funded by the Indiana Regional Cities Initiative.
