Fraser Valley’s $16 million rec center opens to vacationers Dec. 18
Skiers and other vacationers are getting an entirely new way of looking at Winter Park and the Fraser Valley this year…with a newly made-over base mountain area, new amphitheater for concerts in downtown Winter Park, and opening Dec. 18, a new $16 million, vacation-oriented rec center with splashdown pool, 20-foot water slide, climbing wall and other attractions.
New Fraser Valley Recreation Center opens Dec. 18, with resort-style pool, climbing wall.
“The center will allow people to consider Winter Park in an entirely new light,” says, Dan O’Connell, president of the Fraser Metropolitan Recreation District’s Board of Directors. “When going on vacation, many times it’s kids that drive the decision on where you go, even if the parents pay for it. To have an attraction as fun as this is a great thing.”
In addition to its pools, gym, suspended running track, well equipped fitness area and other facilities, the Center will offer drop-in day care for younger children. Voters approved construction in a 2007 bond referendum; however, recreation district staff under Director Scott Ledin greatly extended the reach of the budget by obtaining grants for additional components from other public and private sources.
“The added funds have taken the project from a good concept into an amenity that will solidly enhance Grand County’s reputation as a vacation destination,” said Silvio DeBartolomeis, vice president for sales at Koelbel and Company, developer of the 1,100-acre Rendezvous master-planned resort community across Highway 40 from the new center.
The Rendezvous Foundation, supported by sales of cabins, townhomes and custom home sites at Rendezvous, provided an additional $100,000 to the project last summer, earmarked for the 35-foot climbing wall…with rock-like water stains, three automatic belay devices, a bouldering area, and a padded landing area below. Then, after Rendezvous made 20 sales of new homes over the summer, the Foundation targeted the project with an additional $40,000 toward an ultraviolet light purifier for the pool areas, with their ‘lazy river’ channel and 25-yard lap pool with deep end. The purifier will give kids and other users a swimming experience with less chlorine in the eyes.
Additional grants allowed for sauna, steam room, and for height to be added to the water slide. “It’s incredible that we were able to add another ten feet,” noted O’Connell, adding that kids are likely to be highly appreciative of the added drop. The center’s “soft opening” to the public is set for Friday, Dec. 18th. A formal event weekend is scheduled for late January. More information is at FraserValleyRec.org.
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