Residents in the eastern half of the Quad Cities will have farther to drive this summer if they want to relax at an outdoor public pool.
Moline’s Riverside Aquatic Center and Bettendorf’s Splash Landing are both closed all year for major overhauls, and Rock Island’s Whitewater Junction for one is ready to swim in the overflow. That aquatic facility celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and will open Saturday, May 27 for its summer season.
Whitewater Junction (at 17th Street and 18th Avenue, Rock Island) is a zero-depth to nine-foot-deep pool featuring four waterslides, a tot slide, splash features, and fun for the whole family.
“We’re gonna be very busy this year, obviously,” Rock Island Parks & Recreation director John Gripp said Monday. “It’s just like during COVID, though (in 2020). We were the only pool around that opened up for that. So we’re used to seeing folks coming in from all over.”
While Whitewater Junction has a capacity of 887 people at any one time, during summer 2020, the aquatic center limited attendance to 150 at once during three periods of time daily, he noted.
“We’re up and ready to go. We’re fully staffed,” Gripp said, noting he hasn’t added more lifeguards than usual, and the facility typically sees about 30,000 visitors each season. “We do all of our training in house with our certified trainers for lifeguarding.”
“I think we will definitely see an uptick in our attendance, like I mentioned during COVID,” he said. “We’re prepared to deal with that. We are fully staffed and the facility is completely operational.”
No tax dollars go to support Whitewater Junction, since it’s an enterprise fund and operates strictly based on revenues collected every year, Gripp said.
The complex opened in 2003, so it’s celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The city installed three new covered cabanas (available for rental), which debuted last year. It has about a 25-foot circumference, with tables and chairs, seating six people comfortably, Gripp said. Concession delivery service is available for those, he said.
“We do recommend reaching out to us in advance for those,” Gripp said. “If they’re available, you can call the day of, but I can tell you, they’re pretty popular.”
Whitewater Junction is exploring putting in a splash pad for 2024.
The first event of the 2023 season will be the Back to Pool Bash on Monday, June 5 from 12 noon to 4 p.m. in celebration of the beginning of summer break, including a live DJ and fun games.
Whitewater Junction hours are Monday – Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In late summer, Whitewater Junction will be open weekends (Fri.-Sun.) only from Aug. 14 – Sept. 5.
Admission is $10 for ages 12 and up and $7 for ages 3 to 11. Children age 2 and under are free with a paid adult. Season specials include: Mondays: free child admission with each paid adult before 2 p.m. Tuesdays: admission is half off for school staff. Veterans/Active Military are half-off any day. Evening swim special is Monday-Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. for $7.
Discounted punch passes and season passes are available for purchase. For questions, call 309-732-7946.
Davenport outdoor swimming
The outdoor aquatic facilities in Davenport will open June 2, running through Aug. 20. The capacity at the following locations are 325 each:
- Annie Wittenmyer Aquatic Center, 2828 Eastern Ave., 563-326-7828
- Fejervary Aquatic Center, 1900 Telegraph Road, 563-326-7829
Public Swim is 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., $5 per person (schedule coming soon) and lap swim is noon – 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. – 8 p.m., $2 per person (schedule coming soon).
Wednesdays will be buy one admission, get one free at Fejervary Aquatic Center, and Thursday will be BOGO Day all day at Annie Wittenmyer Aquatic Center.
“Staff have been actively hiring our aquatics team members with the understanding that two Quad-City area pools will not be opening and are focused on ensuring we are meeting all safety requirements at both locations,” Davenport parks and recreation director Chad Dyson said Tuesday.
“While we have met the needed staffing numbers for operating safely, we are still hiring and encourage QC area residents looking for a fun summer job to apply and interview with us,” he said. “All of our aquatics staff receive first aid and lifeguard certifications for free as part of their training and onboarding. There is no need for prior lifeguarding experience, just a love for working outdoors and with the Davenport community.”
West Lake Park (14910 110th Ave., Davenport) is a 620-acre facility offering four lakes for fishing and/or swimming. A boat dock, parking lot, handicap fishing dock, beach area, and paddle boat rentals are available for the water enthusiast.
Bettendorf changes
Splash Landing in Bettendorf (Middle Road and 23rd Street) is being converted into The Landing, including a new ice rink. The new water park will provide more than 20,000 square feet of water recreation, including:
- Activity Pool with Rock Climbing Wall, Basketball, Floatables, Lap Lanes, and more
- 3-Story Tall Slide Tower with 2-Story Tall FlyTyme Slide, Raft/Tube Slide, Open Body Slide, and Speed Slide
- Splash Deck with Interactive Play Structure
- 430-foot-long Lazy River
Replacing Splash Landing would benefit the entire community:
- Serve up to 1,500 people compared to 700 people
- Daily admission fee for non-Y members
- Owned by the city and operated by the YMCA, saving Bettendorf taxpayers $200,000 a year
The $18-million project will be done by the city and YMCA in two phases, over two years.
Phase 1: Large Activity Pool and four supporting buildings. Construction starts May 2023 with completion date May 2024.
The 12,500-square-foot activity pool includes a zero-depth entry with spray feature, ninja-style ropes course, lap lanes, and a diving well with two diving boards and two climbing walls.
“Our biggest priority is to make sure our community doesn’t go another year without a pool,” said Brent Morlok, Bettendorf City Engineer. “This new pool is 30% larger than the existing pool without all the other amenities, so it will be an exciting day when it opens in May 2024.”
Phase 2: Slide Tower, Lazy River, Spray Pad. Construction starts September 2024 and expected completion in May 2025.
The other amenities include a three-story-high slide tower with three slides, a 430-foot-long lazy river, and a 3,700-square-foot splash pad.
“Once the pool is open in May 2024, GCI plans to shut down construction so that the public can enjoy the pool season without all the noise and dust,” Morlok said. “Once the season is over after Labor Day Weekend 2024, crews will get back to work on the rest of the aquatic facility and all its amenities with the goal of completing construction in May 2025.”
The YMCA of the Iowa Mississippi Valley and the city of Bettendorf have applied for the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s CAT (Community Action and Tourism) Grant.
On May 4, the Enhance Iowa Board heard the presentation and asked their staff for a recommendation. Staff recommended a grant of $750,000, but in order to secure that money the board wanted to see more community participation in the fundraising, the city said.
Public donations are being sought at this Bettendorf community campaign website HERE.
Following the completion of the aquatic facility, work will begin on the permanent ice rink at The Landing. This facility includes an outdoor ice rink that will be used in the winter with the ability to be converted to a turf field in the summer for community events like concerts, picnics, and movies.
Moline improvements
Moline Riverside Family Aquatic Center at 3300 5th Ave., is closed while it gets $6,825,300 worth of upgrades. The project will include many updates and improvements such as three new water slides, a lazy river, splash pad, updated concessions and a shared park shelter, among others, according to a city of Moline release.
The partnership between Moline Parks and Recreation and Two Rivers YMCA will continue when the new facility opens in 2024. Two Rivers YMCA members will have full access to the improved Riverside Family Aquatic Center as part of their membership, with no additional cost.
To track the progress of the renovations, follow the Parks and Recreation website HERE.
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