By Hub City Times staff

MARSHFIELD – Marshfield’s new replacement for Hefko Pool is taking shape. During a tour of the project on Dec. 10, Marshfield Parks & Recreation Director Justin Casperson told a small group of business and community leaders the work on the Vandehey Waters Outdoor Aquatic Center is on time and on budget so far.

“They’re finishing up the bathhouse right now,” Casperson said. “They want to get that sealed up before Mother Nature takes its old, snow starts falling, and temperatures really start dropping. We are lucky, fortunate, and thankful that we’ve had favorable temperatures so they are able to work a little quickly.

“The pool vessels themselves, they’ve done most of the flat work and now they are starting to do the walls on all of the vessels themselves.

Marshfield Parks and Recreation Director Justin Casperson gives a tour of the bathhouse, concession, and welcome areas. Kris Leonhardt photo

“We just hope that Mother Nature will keep cooperating with us. I know probably Rotary Winter Wonderland would like some snow, but the Vandehey aquatic center would like sunshine and warm weather.”

Casperson said the discovery of asbestos in some of the piping for the old Hefko Pool slowed the demolition phase of the project by about three weeks initially, but now the new facility is quickly taking shape on the same site.

“The footprint itself hasn’t significantly changed from the old footprint,” he said. “The bathhouse is relatively in the same location, it is a little farther south. The pool vessel is in relatively the same location, it is just a little different layout. So the site hasn’t change significantly, but the bathhouse is quite an improvement; between the lobby, the concessions, the family changing room, the locker rooms, it is a significant upgrade.

Casperson said that the facilities will have sound, inside video production, a family pavilion, and a game area with foosball, ping pong, and corn hole.

“Our goal was not only to make it a nice aquatic facility, but to make it a place for moms, dads, families to be able to hang out for the day, and still be busy and active as their little ones enjoy the water,” he added.

Workers concentrate on the outer structure of the aquatic center facility before winter weather starts. Kris Leonhardt photo

Casperson also said there will be concessions on site, but they will not be selling ice cream.

“We would like our guests to visit the local establishments just right down the road. We have Hub City Ice Cream; we have Dairy Queen; and Weber’s is not very far away and Chips does a great job with ice cream too. So, we want them to visit these local businesses, when they come to visit here. So, we are hoping to attract families, guests, but also to frequent our businesses in the area,” he explained.

A live video camera at the construction site is available for viewing on the city’s website at http://ci.marshfield.wi.us.