Designer now consulting on water park

The effort to build a water recreation facility in Clarendon is making progress as a steering committee continues to pursue that goal.

City Administrator David Dockery says local officials are now working with Waters Edge Aquatics Design to develop preliminary designs and site evaluations for the local project.

Waters Edge engineer Dave Schwartz met with the city council appointed steering committee November 23 and emphasized the need for careful planning, conceptual drawings, and a feasibility study as critical objectives for a successful project.

Dockery said Schwartz’ comments echoed the advice given to the committee by fundraising advisors from the Amarillo Area Foundation.

Schwartz also told the committee that planning and building a water park will take quite a bit of time. Dockery says the project may be as much as three years away from completion.

Waters Edge is the same company that designed and built the new water park in Wellington and specializes in the design and construction of water recreation projects.

Dockery said Schwartz is consulting with engineers this week and the company will present a complete proposal for design and evaluation services in mid-January, and a single benefactor has already agreed to pay for the cost of the preliminary design work.

Project planners will also be consulting with David Driskill and the Texas Tech University College of Architecture, the same group recently contracted by the Clarendon Economic Development Corporation to develop master plans for the city’s central business district.

Earlier in November, the steering committee approved setting up a dedicated fund at the Amarillo Area Foundation specifically for Clarendon’s water recreation project. The move allows people to make fully tax-deductible donations to the project. Those interested in supporting the project can mail a contribution to the Donley County Affiliate Fund at Amarillo Area Foundation, 801 S Fillmore St, Ste. 700, Amarillo, TX 79101, and note Clarendon Water Recreation Project in the memo.

The project began in July when an anonymous donor approached the city with the offer of a $500,000 challenge grant for the purpose of building some kind of water recreation facility in Clarendon. The city council subsequently appointed a 13-member committee to guide planning and fundraising, and town hall on the subject was held in October.