New Chehalis Aquatic Center Nearly Complete

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Less than a month until opening, the $2.7 million Gail and Carolyn Shaw Aquatic Center is starting to take shape next to Recreation Park in Chehalis.

Crews with Schwiesow Construction, the contractor from Centralia, assembled two spiral slides Thursday morning and started filling the beach-style entry pool with water Friday. The parking lot area will be paved and landscaped this weekend.

Connie Bode, project leader for the Chehalis Foundation, said the painters, plumbers, electricians and pool contractors are all working as fast as they can to get the facility ready to open by mid-August.

No grand opening date has been set. 

“Things are happening really fast,” Bode said. “Our goal is to open the pool as soon as we can.”

The Chehalis Foundation and city of Chehalis, partners on the project, originally hoped to open the aquatic center by early July. Bode said the project has encountered some overruns and change orders in the past few weeks, such as fixing an old leak in the deep end of the pool.

“Technically, they are a couple of weeks behind. There are a few little things we wanted to be done right. That is what happens sometimes when you have a lot of the pieces of the puzzle,” Bode said. 

Despite the delay this summer, Bode said, the city will keep the pool open past the usual closing date of Labor Day to make up for the lost time. 



“The city is committed to keeping the pool open as long as people are coming and the weather is good,” Bode said. 

The Chehalis Foundation first approached the city of Chehalis in April 2011 to ask if the city needed assistance with any projects. The foundation helped raise $200,000 for plumbing upgrades to the original pool. 

Nearly three years later, 483 donations have been made totalling about $1.9 million. In addition, the city qualified for a $250,000 federal grant and two other $250,000 state grants.

Bode said the project is still about $30,000 sort of its goal due to the recent overruns and change orders. However, the shortage will not keep the pool from opening next month. 

“We think that is pretty good considering the size and complexity of the project. Any contributions that folks may consider giving will be greatly appreciated,” Bode said. 

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Reporter Kyle Spurr can be reached at (360) 807-8239.