City sets stage for next round of input on pool improvements

The city of Sioux Falls is setting the stage for a second indoor aquatic center by sharing information about demand on the Midco Aquatic Center.

The indoor pool was built in anticipation of 80,000 visitors per year, but it now regularly exceeds 200,000.

“2023 was an exceptional year for the Midco Aquatic Center,” said Brett Kollars, assistant director of the Parks & Recreation Department.

“The facility continues to prove how much our community craves year-round recreation opportunities and indoor aquatics.”

The indoor pool totaled about 212,000 visitors last year, just shy of the record 222,000 visitors in 2022. There were more than 2,200 swim passes sold, up 50 percent compared with 2017.

On any given day, about 500 people use the pool, which surges to 3,000 during the peak time in late summer. Visits involve recreation, competition and entertainment, along with parties and other gatherings, Kollars said.

“Our meeting room reservations typically reserve out about 120 days in advance, and we continue to see a rise in that demand,” he said.

Swim meets alone drew 40,000 spectators and athletes.

“It’s been dubbed some of the fastest water in the region for a reason,” Kollars said.

This summer, the locker rooms will double in size, thanks to a partnership involving a donation from Joe and Jennifer Kirby.

“While the numbers are pretty incredible, the reality is the Midco Aquatic Center was built with much smaller attendance in mind,” Kollars said. “It’s reached its point where it’s limiting.”

The city is considering indoor pool replacements at Frank Olson and Kuehn parks, though city officials have said there likely isn’t enough funding to do an indoor pool at both. More public meetings are coming up on pool replacements, including the final chance to weigh in on a design for the McKennan Park wading pool, which is expected to start construction at the end of the coming swim season.

Meeting times

• McKennan Park wading pool – final public meeting: 5:30 tonight at DakotAbilities, 1116 S. Fourth Ave.
• Frank Olson Park – midway public meeting: Feb. 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Cleveland Elementary, 1000 S. Edward Drive.
• Kuehn Park – midway public meeting: Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at Memorial Middle School, 1401 S. Sertoma Ave.