May 23, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2013
For more information:
Amanda Shell
Moxley Carmichael
865-255-0661
[email protected]
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Kingsport Aquatic Center’s outdoor water park, featuring a large pool with a water playground and lily pad crossing, two water slides, a 900-foot lazy river and a concession area, opens to the public on Saturday, May 25, at 10 a.m.
“The summer is here, and families are looking for exciting outdoor activities. The Kingsport Aquatic Center’s water park will be the destination for summer fun,” said Kingsport Aquatic Center Director Kari Matheney. “This Memorial Day weekend, our entire facility will be open to the public for the first time, and we invite everyone to come enjoy this new community asset.”
Before the doors open, the winners of the online photo contest to be the first kids down the park’s two water slides will do so 9:30 a.m. The winners, Grace Wellman and Xavier Graves-Hawkins, also each receive a seasonal family membership to the center.
Nine-year-old Wellman uses her passion for swimming to help others. Last year, she swam 500 yards at a Swim for Them fundraiser, raising $850 for the American Cancer Society in honor of her aunt and great-grandfather, both cancer survivors. Graves-Hawkins is a nine-year-old child with autism who has found joy in swimming.
“Grace and Xavier were selected because of their passion for swimming,” said Matheney. “We hope their stories will educate others about the benefits of swimming for the mind and body and inspire other kids to get active.”
Located at the foot of scenic Bays Mountain in Kingsport’s Meadowview district, the state-of-the-art Kingsport Aquatic Center features both indoor and outdoor aquatic facilities and activities for both residents and visitors.
The 46,000-square-foot indoor facility includes the HMG Competition Pool, the region’s only indoor Olympic-size, eight-lane, 50-meter pool; the Palmer Center Foundation Warm Pool, a four-lane, 25-meter, zero-entry pool specially designed for instruction and therapy; and a leisure pool with water slide. Also inside are one-meter and three-meter diving platforms. The center’s world-class pools and equipment are designed for all levels of competitive sports.
The outdoor water park will open annually from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day and includes a water playground and lily pad crossing, two water slides and the 900-foot Eastman Credit Union Lazy River.
American Red Cross swim lessons, water aerobics, safety courses, facility rentals and lane rentals are available in the new center.
Overflow parking will be available at the lower parking lot of the Meadowview Convention Center with free shuttle service to the entrance of the water park for Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday through Monday, during operating hours.
About the Kingsport Aquatic Center
The Kingsport Aquatic Center is the region’s newest and most comprehensive indoor/outdoor public aquatic and recreation facility. Located in Kingsport’s Meadowview district at the base of iconic Bays Mountain, the center provides area residents and visitors with the best in health, fitness and recreation features in a safety-focused environment. The Kingsport Aquatic Center features the area’s only indoor Olympic-size pool plus year-round swim courses and American Red Cross-certified water safety and lifeguard training. A seasonal outdoor water park offers recreational activities from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Seasonal, annual and daily rates are available. For more information, visit http://www.swimkingsport.com.
