Do you hear that? It's the sounds of giggles and
squeals that fill the air at Prairie Trail’s fantastic aquatics center, Cascade Falls.
When the Iowa humidity becomes too much, Cascade Falls is the place to be. At 20,000 square feet, the largest municipal aquatic center in Iowa features a Flow-rider surf machine, five slides including a drop slide and a swirl bowl. Those looking to relax can drift down the 640-foot Lazy River with a wave generator, relax in the heated pool or catch rays in the sunbathing areas.
In its first partial-season from mid-July to Labor Day 2010, Cascade Falls welcomed 72,000 visitors, and more than 200 children participated in swim lessons at the facility.
Redenius recognizes that the development of the $10 million facility can largely be attributed to the
unique collaboration between the City of Ankeny and DRA Properties, saying, “It has really raised the bar of what the private and public sectors can accomplish together.”
“We couldn’t be happier about this,” says Todd Redenius, director of Ankeny Parks and Recreation Department.
Water parks not only offer summertime amusement for kids and parents, but they also provide a venue for communities to host swim meets, provide exercise opportunities for amateur swimmers, and attract visitors seeking stellar attractions in an area.
These factors are what led DRA Properties, Prairie Trail’s
developer, and the City of Ankeny to partner on the project. “We have been able to form a unique collaboration with DRA,” Redenius says. “It’s an innovative partnership that benefits everyone involved plus everyone living in central Iowa. Aquatics and additional water facilities are one of the top priorities of residents, to be sure.”
On 16 acres donated by Dennis and Susan Albaugh of DRA, Cascade Falls is just three blocks to the west of Prairie Trail’s Precedence Park. It is co-located with the new elementary school and is just west and north of the biggest park in Prairie Trail and in Ankeny, the 46-acre Chautauqua Park. The area directly connects to the
ever-expanding network of bike and walking trails.
Cascade Falls is a showpiece facility with these elements:
• A 640-foot lazy river with an action channel or wave generator. That lazy river will be one of the longest, if not the longest, in Iowa, says Redenius.
• An 8-lane, 250-meter lap area.
• A zero-depth area with water play features.
• Several slides, including a swirl bowl.
The $10-million facility includes 21,000 square feet
of water surface. At the same time, the existing pool, Prairie Ridge, will be updated on the same timeline as Cascade Falls,
Redenius says. Prairie Ridge also will allow space for enhanced swimming lessons, as well as an opportunity to host swim meets and aquatic events.
The overall plan of open spaces and trails ties the aquatic
center into Prairie Trail and Ankeny growth. “It’s a walkable,
rideable community,” says Deb Dyar, Public Relations Officer
with Ankeny. “You don’t have to get in the car to go swim, to drop kids off at school, or to go to the park. We’re trying to encourage kids and families to leave the car in the garage and to walk and bike where they need to go.”
