You may be able to ride the new Ross Park slide this summer, but the city can’t make any promises
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POCATELLO — Visitors to the Gate City’s water complex may be able to ride down new waterslides this summer.
Work is underway on the new slide, ahead of the summer season for the Ross Park Aquatic Complex. It’s possible that park goers could have to wait until next year to try the new slide, but the city hopes to have it open before the season comes to a close.
“We’re hoping for some slide time by mid July right before we close, but there’s a few factors with weather and some other conditions that we just kind of have to wait and see,” said Anne Butler, director of the Pocatello Parks and Recreation department.
The excavation for the slide’s tower is completed. Right now, crews are working on pouring concrete for the footings.
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The city intends to get all of the underground and concrete work done ahead of the water slide manufacturer, Splashtacular, coming to set it up.
“They’ll actually set the slide up, like legos, on our footings from the ground up,” Butler said.
Once the slides have been constructed, park goers will be able to ride down two slides, each 35-feet high. One slide will be open-air and the other covered and they’ll each end in a run out.
The project is being funded primarily with American Rescue Plan Act funds. It will also be partially funded through a donation from the Milder family of $140,000 in honor of Doug Milder, who served over a decade on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
The total cost of the new slide is expected to be $1.3 million.
Whether it opens this year or the next, the city is excited to introduce two brand new slides for park goers.
“We’re ecstatic about this slide and the opportunity to provide it for the public,” Butler said.