The new Wellington Aquatics Center has been open for business since Jan. 3, and based on the number of daily visitors, it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular recreational outlets in Wellington.
While half of the aquatics center has an official Olympic-sized pool, which caters to competitive swimmers in the western communities, a big part of the value of the facility is the other half of the complex, which appeals to families and non-competitive swimmers who just enjoy being in a pool.
According to Aquatics Supervisor Ryan Harris, the family friendly section is known as the Leisure Area, which features a vertical, platform-based structure with two short slides, one flume ride and a number of miniature water cannons. At the top of the structure is a large bucket, which is filled with water and dumps dozens of gallons every two minutes onto swimmers and people standing below.
This entire structure, made by a company called Splashtacular, is naturally appealing to children. The vertical structure is surrounded by a six-inch “moat,” which is technically called a zero-depth-entry recreation pool. It also has six vertical waterspouts, which have been placed along the perimeter of that pool. Once you enter the area, you will get wet — and you will stay wet.
The other half of the Leisure Area has a shallow lap pool featuring six 25-yard lanes. Hanging above the six lanes is an official NinjaCross obstacle course, which features a series of hoops, bars and rings, which you can grab as you move the length of the pool, slightly above the surface of the water. It’s the only one of its kind in Florida.
Swimmer safety is of paramount concern at the Wellington Aquatics Center. The Leisure Area is overseen by six lifeguards and one lifeguard roaming on foot in the zero-depth-entry recreation pool. For novice swimmers, there is complimentary access to life jackets.
“The lifejackets are free to all guests, and they are encouraged to use them,” Harris said.
Throughout the year, the water temperature in the Leisure Area will be kept at 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition to the chance to enjoy the Leisure Area, this part of the Aquatics Center has nearly 140 lounge chairs, 10 big umbrellas scattered around the pool deck, six cabanas, five lifeguard stands, four changing rooms, four water fountains, two outdoor showers, and separate locker rooms for men and women.
According to Harris, the cabanas are for rent.
“It is $75 for four hours for [Wellington] residents, and $100 for four hours for non-residents,” he explained.
If you are hungry, a concession stand, operated by Professional Concessions Inc., sells snacks, cold drinks, and sandwiches such as hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken and cheese quesadillas, chicken tenders, chicken salad sandwiches, pizza, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The chicken quesadillas and pizza are the most popular items.
The bathing load for the Leisure Area is capped at 285 people. To keep the water clean, Harris noted that it is chlorinated every day.
“We average about two to two-and-a-half 50-pound pails of chlorine briquettes per day,” Harris estimated.
The Wellington Aquatics Center will be open seven days a week. From now until Memorial Day, the operating hours will be Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. From Memorial Day until Labor Day, the hours will be Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
The admission charges vary by age and residence. For Wellington residents, adults age 18 and over pay $7, children age 3 to 17 pay $5, and residents age 55-plus pay $4. For non-Wellington residents, the fees are slightly higher: adults pay $10, children pay $8 and those age 55-plus pay $7.
The Wellington Aquatics Center is located at 3410 120th Avenue South near the southwestern entrance to Village Park. Learn more at www.wellingtonfl.gov/aquatics.
