by Cheryel Carpenter
June 14, 2002

The City of Arlington Parks and Recreation Department is making plans to open the new Randol Mill Family Aquatic Center.

The new facility, opening in the same location as the old pool, boasts new and exciting features such as a 25-foot water slide, which adds a new dimension of visibility.

"Because the facility is located at the back of the park and up on a hill, many visitors didn’t even realize a pool existed there for 40 years," said Kym Lange, Aquatics Program Manager. "Now the new facility becomes visible almost immediately after entering the park."

The Family Aquatic Center is reflective of current aquatic trends and outdoor water recreation and is designed to entertain kids and adults of all ages. Amenities include: tot pool, frog slide, interactive play structure, interactive water features, leisure pool, current channel with vortex, and a spa with Jacuzzi jets.

In addition to these amenities, the facility uses the newest technology in water treatment and processing to be more economically and environmentally efficient. The new pool uses thousands of gallons of water less than the old pool, from 385,000 gallons to 50,000, while providing the highest water quality available.

During site preparation, great care was taken to preserve and incorporate existing 40 year-old oak trees into the facility layout. New buildings and structures are also designed and located to fit aesthetically into the existing environment, while providing maximum exposure to the facility.

The grand opening of the Randol Mill Family Aquatic Center is tentatively scheduled for June 30, 2002 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm.

"We are very excited about the grand opening of Arlington’s first aquatic center and believe it will be a big hit with residents," says Lange.