Aquatic Facility Grand Opening

the new Sapulpa Aquatic Facility is located at Liberty Park, 1400 E. Haskell St.

The results of teamwork, community involvement and determination in a weak economy have come together in the grand opening of the new Sapulpa Aquatic Facility at Liberty Park, 1400 E. Haskell St.

The star of the facility is a 400-capacity swimming pool that features designated areas for children, lap lanes for competitive swimmers, railings for senior aerobics and two water slides. Planning Design Group of Tulsa designed the 125,000-gallon pool. Progressive thinking elements include a zero entry area for children’s safety, an outdoor shower for cleanliness, and an advanced gutter system to carry debris away from the filtering system. A web-based surveillance system will provide state-of-the-art premises and chemical monitoring 24/7.  

The Aquatic Facility building offers a first aid station, concessions and permanent restrooms, all with young families in mind. A designated family restroom will allow parents to assist their toddlers when necessary.

Jason Sauer is the City of Sapulpa’s new aquatics supervisor. “Our goal is to provide a safe environment and quality swim programs to people in Sapulpa-area communities,” he says. Learn-to-Swim group classes for children and adults are available using Swim 201 curriculum. Each two-week session meets four times a week and costs $40.

The idea for the aquatic facility was born in the fall of 2007. Jan Allen, a Sapulpa resident and an avid swimmer, and Guy Berry, president of American Heritage Bank, got together to discuss the possibility of once again having a community pool – something Sapulpa had not had in nearly 15 years. Although the local economy was tough, they put together a group of people who believed in the idea.  

For more than a year, they sought funds from grants, corporations, civic groups and individuals. Sometimes a penny at a time, the people of Sapulpa pooled their money and got their pool. Jan remembers the community spirit that spurred on penny fundraisers at grade schools. “These kids really wanted a pool. And they brought in all their pennies to get one,” she says. “What this community did was incredible. A lot of people really dug deep.”

Over 500 donors made the idea a reality with no public tax money. The facility was privately funded from start to finish and is set up to financially support itself. All proceeds from admissions, swim classes and facility rentals will be used for its ­maintenance.

The Sapulpa Aquatic Facility joins another major water attraction since 2005, the Liberty Park Splash Pad, provided by the Sapulpa Rotary Club. The 17-acre park also offers two playgrounds, picnic tables with grills, covered picnic shelters and a half-mile lighted walking trail. There is plenty of free parking and a large bike rack at the new building.

The special project, the largest recreational offering to the community in many years, also includes improvements throughout Liberty Park that are still underway. Plans call for resurfacing one of the two tennis courts. The second one will be converted to a basketball court. Two sand volleyball courts will be added this summer.

The pool will loosely follow a Memorial Day through Labor Day calendar, with additional days if weather permits. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. General admission is $3 per person and $2 for children five and under. The pool will be closed on Monday for maintenance. Information for special group rates, private parties, facility rentals and class registration is available by calling

(918) 227-5151 or visiting www.sapulpaparks.org.

For more information, contact

Sapulpa Aquatic Facility

1400 E. Haskell St.

Sapulpa, OK 74066

(918) 227-5151

www.sapulpaparks.org