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Three aquatic centers in Dallas were set to open this summer. However, they are all still under construction.
The parks board president says the aquatic centers in East Dallas, Pleasant Grove and North Dallas will be opening August 4, 11, and 18.
To make up for the delay, the city will now be keeping the pools open through Labor Day on September 3. Admission will be free for the remainder of the summer.
While the city's time-lapse video makes it look like construction on these aquatic centers has been fast, it's been anything but.
Resident who live near the Samuell Grand Regional Aquatic Center in East Dallas are imagining how much fun it will be.
The aquatic centers feature water slides and lazy rivers, but delay after delay has kept the city's first new pools in a half-century from opening on time. A recent briefing blames everything from environmental testing to permitting delays and difficulty finding materials.
“To be honest, the timeline was so aggressive. We've learned some lessons,” said Dallas Parks Board President Bobby Abtahi. “We haven't built a pool in 50 years. As frustrating as the delays were, we want to make sure the next three go online ASAP.”
In addition to the three locations set to open next month, the city also has three more aquatic centers in the works to open in May 2019. They will be in North Oak Cliff, Lake Highlands and the Lower Greenville area. The parks board president is very confident they will open on time.
"I give you my word. We made sure we worked out the kinks and solved all the issues,” Abtahi said. “You can come find me next May and we will be at a ribbon cutting."
It’s welcome news for thousands of kids and their parents.
The parks board has not yet decided how much the admission will be for next summer. That is something that will be voted on by the board.