Official groundbreaking held for new aquatic center

While work has already begun on the new Sidney Outdoor Aquatic Center, city officials, community members and project workers held an official groundbreaking at the site on Friday morning.

The pool is set to be completed by May 24, 2016 – in time for Memorial Day Weekend – and contractors said work is on schedule.

Chuck Musgrave, CFO of Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture, told the 30 people gathered for the event that the site will include a competition pool, recreation pool, splash features, a lazy river and a water slide. The center will also include bathhouses and a concession stand.

The price tag of the project is $5.4 million.

While the majority of funding is already in place, a fundraising drive to gather $750,000 continues.

If the city is able to reach the mark, it will receive a $250,000 challenge grant from Peter Kiewit Foundation.

Sidney Mayor Mark Nienhueser said contributions from businesses, organizations and individuals have already topped $450,000 – leaving about $300,000 left to raise.

To help invigorate the fundraising efforts, the mayor announced he and his wife will contribute $10,000.

Many joined Nienhueser at the ceremony.

"One way to attract the quality of workers – the type of citizens we would like to make up [Sidney's] workforce – is to provide the public amenities valued by these people, many of them young and with young families," he said. "These are active, engaged people looking for a community in which they can grow and prosper and engage in activities."

Because recreation is important to them, the city has invested in its amenities, the mayor explained, referencing recent improvements to the tennis courts, ball fields and golf course, and an extension of walking and biking trails.

"The Sidney Outdoor Aquatic Center will be an important and impressive addition to that list and will help position Sidney as the community of choice for the workforce of the future," he said.

Sidney has a bright future, the mayor explained.

"And we ask others who are committed to the success and growth of Sidney to contribute to this great cause," Nienhueser said.