Estes Valley Community Recreation Center

Located in a National Park and at an elevation 7,522-ft above sea level, Estes Park welcomed the first-of-its-kind design and construction project to the small, tourist town. The outcome of the project changed local design expectations, building code requirements and the community lifestyle.

With an outdated aquatic center used for the local school’s swim meets, the project required transforming the 10,900-sf center into a functional community and recreation center. By adding on an addition five times larger than the existing aquatic center, the finished facility became a multi-generational space, offering diversified fitness, recreation, social and educational opportunities.

While renovations were underway, creating the new community center started. The 52,756-sf addition would combine community space needs – including senior services, library resources, family and youth amenities, meeting rooms and gathering spaces – along with family recreation and aquatics. French doors to the existing natatorium would open to the family natatorium, complete with water-play equipment, an outdoor jacuzzi, a lazy river and an outside-wrapping waterslide. Robust recreational spaces would include numerous group fitness rooms, exercise equipment areas, two gymnasiums, a suspended walking track and an indoor golf simulator.

 

Estes Valley Recreation and Park District

Aquatics & Recreation

Ohlson Lavoie Collaborative

Estes Park, CO

52,756 sf

ABC Rocky Mountain Chapter, Excellence in Construction, Institutional, $10 to $25M – 1st Place

ABC Nationals, Excellence in Construction, Institutional, $10 to $25 million – Eagle Award (1st place)

Estes Valley Community Center Kids Playing in Pool

At Estes Valley Community Center, the community continuously showed its gratitude for the success of the project; strangers passed by to thank construction workers and a huge grand-opening event was thrown. The center is now a safe place for students to go after school, residents to work-out, seniors to have a dedicated space and a central area for community events. Unique program inclusions, such as the indoor golf simulator, attract both locals and tourists.

84% of the town’s annual projected facility revenue was met within the first month of being opened.

 

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