Elkhart County, located in northern Indiana near the state border, has broken ground on a $65 million aquatic, fitness and community center.

Coming in 2019, this 170,000-square-foot facility will include:

  • a state-of-the-art fitness center focused on wellness and medical solutions
  • a first-class regional aquatics center available to the public that will support Elkhart High School programs and regional competitive events
  • a community center with flexible meeting space, gymnasium and a learning kitchen for nutritional classes

The health center is an open two-story plan that includes an elevated running track circling over the gymnasiums. It will include a fitness center, therapy center, large exercise room, spinning exercise room and three multi-purpose exercise rooms.

The aquatics center will include a competition pool that also contains a diving well; 10 8-feet-wide by 50-meter training and competition lanes; two movable six-foot bulkheads; a recreational pool and a warm water therapy pool. The center will host eight to 16 regional competitions and will feature a second-story observation deck.

The community center will be available to the public and will include two full-size gymnasiums; a large outdoor terrace; multiple meeting rooms with movable walls and a learning kitchen for cooking classes.

“We are so excited for this Elkhart health fitness aquatics and community center to open early 2019,” said Project Administrator Shelley Moore. “We are starting to accept bids for swimming competition events for as early as Summer 2019. This facility houses one of five pools in the country that is 66 x 25 meters and it can accommodate 1,200 spectators on our beautiful riverfront property. This aquatics center will truly be a memorable experience for swimmers and their spectators.”

The center is expected to have a considerable economic impact on the Elkhart region. According to the center’s website, officials anticipate the complex will host events 20 to 21 weekends per year and will bring in 35,800 attendees per year which will lead to 16,350 filled hotel room nights per year. The direct spending attributed to the complex figures to be almost $3 million per year with a total economic impact of $4,720,000 per year.

Officials also estimate the center will generate significant jobs, wages and salaries in the community with all three portions of the complex leading to 7 to 8 full-time positions, 100 to 125 part-time positions and $9,500,000 in wages and salaries over the first five years.