New Aquatic and Recreation Center in Great Falls officially open for business

Great Falls' brand new rec center is now officially open for business.

The Scheels Aim High Big Sky Aquatic and Recreation Center held its grand opening on Tuesday morning in Lion's Park, opening its door to the public after a years-long process.

"It's been a four-year journey," City Commissioner Susan Wolff said, noting there was about a two-year pause in the project due to the COVID pandemic. "A lot of hard was done here and we have a lot to celebrate."

The Aquatic and Recreation Center features full gymnasium with six basketball hoops. Great Falls residents already began breaking in the new floor Tuesday not long after the doors opened, setting up for games of pickleball.

There is also a 25-meter, eight-lane pool in the facility for lap swimmers that will also be used for military water survival trainings and possibly future swim meets.

A second pool in an adjoining room has a splash pool and waterslide, attached with a river pool and warm pool.

Upstairs are dozens of cardio and weight training machines as well as an area for free weights, as well as a jogging and walking track overlooking the basketball court.

The facility will also offer fitness classes such as yoga and Zumba and has a dry sauna located in between the locker rooms.

Great Falls residents voted in favor of a Park Maintenance District after the Park and Recreation Department submitted a Master Plan in 2016 with the vision of creating a new rec facility with an indoor pool.

In 2018, the Morony Natatorium - the only publicly owned indoor swimming facility - was closed after the façade separated from the rest of the building and was finally condemned and later demolished after years of disrepair.

The City later put in for a Department of Defense grant with the Defense Community Infrastructure Program due to Great Falls' ties to the military community with Malmstrom Air Force Base and the Montana Air National Guard.

The City of Great Falls was granted $10 million in matching funds by the DOD in 2020, officially starting the process of building the facility.

"There were a lot of gyrations that occurred after we got the grant," City Manager Greg Doyon said.

The City looked into a location near Malmstrom and Loy Elementary School first and then another south of Siebel Soccer Complex, but neither were feasible due to either size or unstable soil conditions.

Eventually, Lion's Park was decided upon due to it being just off 10th Ave South and in a somewhat central location of the city.

"At first I thought with this being one of our larger, more pristine untouched parks that it may not be a place that a lot of folks would want to put a new facility on," Doyon said. "But the more I thought about it and discussed it with staff, the more it made sense because of the location being central to the city."

Col. Daniel Voohies of Malmstrom praised the partnership between Great Falls and the military community in completing the project.

"It's a neat project when you get to do a (federal) government and city project together," Voorhies said.

Col. David Smith of the Montana Air National Guard said with about half of its servicemembers living in Great Falls, the facility symbolizes a bond between the military and Great Falls.

"It supports that we're a part of the community," Smith said.

Outside support was needed to complete the project beyond the original $20 million, with Scheels Sporting Goods coming onboard as a partner as well as many community donations secured with help of the non-profit Bannack Group.

"This is a building that the community can be proud of," Doyon said. "I can tell you I think it's indicative of things to come in Great Falls that we can do things like this in the future in other areas as the city continues to grow and change."

For more information on the Scheels Aim High Big Sky Aquatic and Recreation Center as well as membership costs, visit greatfallsmt.net/recreation.

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