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Waverly staff: new aquatic center won’t open this summer amid construction delays
Summary
City staff reported construction delays on the new Waverly aquatic center and said the city will not open the facility for the 2026 season; staff cited dewatering, weather, curing times and staffing constraints and estimated possession toward July with limited preview events possible.
City staff told the Waverly City Council on May 4 that the new aquatic center is running behind schedule and the city will not open the facility for the 2026 season.
At the meeting, staff member Garrett said delays stemmed from dewatering, heavy snow and colder winter weather that added time to construction, and noted certain systems and equipment still need installation and state inspection. The earliest estimate given for city possession was toward July, but staff said that even if possession occurs then the project would need additional days for staff training and state inspection before sustained public operation.
Garrett said staffing availability is a practical constraint: lifeguard and seasonal staff turnover around late July and August could leave the city with only two to three weeks of trained personnel before fall schedules begin. Staff and council discussed the possibility of opening the splash pad or offering limited free preview sessions (an evening or a weekend) once parts of the facility pass inspection, but staff cautioned that those would be contingent on completed punch-list items and successful state inspection. A council member noted that while the timeline was ambitious, the priority is to finish the work correctly rather than rushing it.
The council did not take action on the project at the meeting; staff said they would continue to monitor progress, coordinate inspections, and report back with updates and scheduling for public access.
