This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2005, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Start from 16 feet up and slide down twists and turns to a splashing finish. Ride the circular current of the lazy river, or relax in the hot tub. These are some options at the new Clearfield Aquatic Center.
That's just the beginning. The center also has complete fitness facilities with new, state-of-the-art cardio equipment, weight machines, free weights and a wide range of fitness classes.
The kids love the water play areas. Beginning in only 6 inches of water, there are bikes that you pedal to shoot water, slides even the youngest will appreciate and an assortment of valves, buckets, sprayers, fountains and more for play alone or with friends.
"The community is immensely proud of our new center," said city Recreation Director Gary Cohen. "I have worked in fitness facilities around the country and this one is wonderful. We have everything one would expect from a full-service fitness center except racquetball and tennis courts."
Duty manager Angie McKee says that the public response has been very good. "We've only had the pool at capacity once so far," she said. "It seems like everyone who comes here is very impressed with the play area for kids, the six-lane lap pool, the weight room and cardio areas. I haven't heard any complaints."
Clearfield City shared the expense of the facility with the Davis School District. The enormous gym, running track and lap pool will all be joint use, keeping down the expense for each entity.
"It seems like a lot of people don't know the Clearfield Aquatic Center is really a cutting-edge fitness center," McKee said. "We have bikes, treadmills, ellipticals, all state of the art."
Cohen says that the 72,000-square-foot center is well-staffed. "We have over 50 lifeguards, over 100 employees. There is always somebody here who is an expert in first aid, CPR, and AED (Automatic External Defibrillator). We want to make sure our patrons are well taken care of."
"We've had a lot of excitement about our different programs," said McKee. "We have Pilates, kickboxing, spin, and aerobics classes, and we're very happy with all our new equipment. We are also getting a huge response to our day-care program. Mom or dad can get a great workout knowing their little one is safe with trained and licensed care providers."
The Clearfield Aquatic Center touts a birthday party room as well. "For $65, they get pizzas, cake, balloons and T-shirts for the kids. It's really a great deal," said McKee.
Shelly Burson is a head guard at the center. "I love it; it's wonderful," she said about the new facility. "From the 6-inch pool to the 16-foot-high slide to the 3-meter diving board, there's something here for everybody."
Joselyn Pulliam, 2, was at the pool with her mom Sabrina Pulliam, her 5-week-old baby brother and her grandmother Lisa Pierce. About the huge slide, she said, "Do it again. Do it again." Sabrina Pulliam says that having the pool indoors is a great benefit, not having to worry about sunburn for the little ones.
Kylie Hampton, 16, started as a lifeguard this summer. "We get to spend our time making sure everybody's having fun. That's a lot of fun," she said. "We're here to make sure that this is the highlight of their day."