A crowd of children helped pull a tarp off the sign revealing the new Marshall aquatic center’s name. The name “The Splash!” was chosen with the help of feedback from community members and kids at area schools.

MARSHALL — Children gathered around a tarp-covered sign at the Sounds of Summer festival grounds, waiting as adults started a countdown. When the count reached zero, the crowd of kids pulled on the tarp, uncovering the name of the city’s new aquatic center: The Splash!

The name reveal was part of a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new center on Thursday, during Sounds of Summer. Amanda Schwartz, co-chair of the community-led Jump In, Make a Splash Committee, said the name “The Splash!” was chosen with the help of kids at area schools, community input on social media, and comments from the public.

“We are so thankful for all the ideas that were sent to the city for suggestions,” Schwartz said. “We heard great comments about the new name that exemplifies fun and excitement.”

The Splash! is planned to be built on land near the corner of West College Drive and Saratoga Street. The city will have a construction bid opening next week.

“If everything goes right, and we certainly think it will, there will be construction started yet this fall and all next year,” said Marshall Mayor Bob Byrnes.

The path from the current Marshall Aquatic Center to The Splash! was a long one.

“This was a plan that was planned for years and years,” Byrnes said.

Marshall’s municipal swimming pool has been in the same location, in what is now Legion Field Park, since 1937. Improvements were made to the Aquatic Center over the years, including the addition of a new bathhouse and diving well in the 1970s, and a water slide in the 1990s. The last major updates to the Aquatic Center were made in 2008.

However, even with annual maintenance work, the current pool has deteriorating electrical and mechanical systems, and leaks around 12,000 to 15,000 of gallons of water per day, according to a 2018 study.

The city of Marshall proposed extending the amount of time its local sales tax was in effect, in order to raise $18.3 million to build a new aquatic center. It took two tries for the Minnesota state Legislature to give its approval to hold a public vote on the proposal. A special election was held in November 2023, and the measure passed with the support of more than 66% of voters.

Marshall built its original Aquatic Center with a shared vision and community support, Byrnes said. “And you know, we have the same thing today. We have a lot of community support. We have a great plan. It’s a great location, and it’s going to be a wonderful pool,” he said.

Community members are still working to help raise funds for additional amenities at The Splash! The Jump In, Make a Splash Committee is working toward a goal of $1 million for features like a body slide flume, a water walk, a climbing wall and more shade structures at the facility.

“Thanks to the community’s generous donations and sponsorships, we are over halfway to our goal,” said committee co-chair Marc Klaith.

Breaking ground for the new center was exciting, Schwartz said.

“We wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for the support and the long-term vision of our community,” she said.

The new facility will be a draw for Marshall and the surrounding area, Byrnes said. “One of the reasons why this is important, is not only for the people, the families in our community that choose to be in our community, and stay in our community and contribute to our community, but also to those in the region. And we’ve had great regional support,” he said.

Byrnes thanked Sen. Gary Dahms, R-Redwood Falls, who sponsored the legislation that helped make the aquatic center vote possible.

“This is a really great event for your community, and it’s really great to see that when you had the vote on this last fall, it passed overwhelmingly,” Dahms said. “It’s something that not only will be a good park for Marshall, but it’ll also be good for the rural area. Thank you very much, for all of those that worked so hard to get this done.”