Photos courtesy of Wade Griffith Photography
In 2009, Counsilman-Hunsaker, in association with Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects, was retained by the Parks and Recreation Department to create a Business Plan to guide the development of a new recreation and aquatic center. The product of the study established building programming options, square footages, and budgets for all the desired components along with opinions of operating expenses.
After years of planning, the City of McKinney and McKinney Community Development Corporation teamed up to build the $36 million aquatics and fitness center in Gabe Nesbitt Community Park. The 80,000 sq. ft. Apex Centre is the single largest project the City of McKinney has ever built. The facility features an indoor competition pool, indoor recreation pool, outdoor recreation pool and outdoor tot pool. The fitness facility includes fitness and weight training equipment, indoor sports courts, an elevated running track, babysitting facilities and multipurpose rooms, which are open to the public. Aquatic amenities include:
6,200 sq. ft. Indoor Competition Pool
- 25-yard by 25-meter with 1-meter diving
4,800 sq. ft. Indoor Leisure Pool
- Zero-depth and grand stair entries
- Current channel
- Three 25-yard fitness lap lanes
- Underwater bench seating
- Aquatic play structure
- Water basketball and volleyball
- Indoor waterslide with deck-runout
10,000 sq. ft. Outdoor Leisure Pool
- Zero-depth entry and five stair entries
- Current channel
- Underwater shelf and bench seating
- Family waterslide
- Four deck-runout body-flume waterslides
- Aquatic play structure
- Water basketball and water volleyball
- Various spray features
700 sq. ft. Outdoor Tot Pool
- Zero-depth entry
- Themed tot slide
- Various water features
Awards
2018 – State Texas Recreation Facility Design award
