Cape Girardeau water park on target for Memorial Day weekend opening

Dan Muser has his eye on the sky.

Weather, it seems, is the only thing that will delay the Memorial Day weekend opening of Cape Splash Family Aquatic Center, the city's $8.7 million recreation showpiece.

"That is what we are shooting for," Muser said in a telephone interview from the construction side abutting the Osage Community Centre, 1625 N. Kingshighway. "Anything could happen, but at this point I have no reason to believe we won't make it."

In recent weeks, workers for Penzel Construction Co. and its contractors have been working furiously to make up time lost to more than 70 days of bad weather since the contract was awarded in July. Enough time has been gained for the city to promote a May 20 ribbon-cutting ceremony and a May 29 opening day in its summer program guide.

"We put the dates of the planned opening in the brochure," Muser said. "The key word there is planned opening. That's the best you can get."

There are no supply, equipment or employee issues that are likely to prevent the opening, Muser said. That leaves weather as his biggest concern.

"A lot of it is sequential, with people kind of moving so that when one thing happens, another thing can happen," Muser said.

The aquatic center is the most expensive piece of a $20 million park facilities plan that has also included renovations and expansion of the Arena Building and the Osage Centre, new greens and fairways at Jaycee Municipal Golf Course and construction of a new community center at Shawnee Park.

Voters approved the projects, together with the bonds and a tax to finance the projects, in April 2008. The plan also included 12 storm-water projects designed to reduce flooding in neighborhoods around the city.

Features of the water park include:

* A 700-foot lazy river. Crews filled the river with water for the first time Saturday.

* Four water slides, the longest a 177-foot open slide and a 140-foot enclosed slide.

* A six-lane lap pool.

* Landscaped picnic and relaxation areas, concession stands and a bathhouse.

There may be a few loose ends to finish, such as final landscaping installations, when the water park is expected to open for business May 29, Muser said.

But he cautioned that the opening date is still an expectation, not a promise.

"Do I think we are going to be open? Yeah, I do," he said. "Do I know for a certainty beyond a shadow of a doubt we will? No, I don't."

rkeller@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, Mo.