New $15M Rec Center Built to Play

The Ridge, as it is called, was designed by Denver-based Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture. Barker Rinker Seacat, which has designed more public recreation facilities than any other firm in the US, worked with Pinkard Construction to build the 82,000-sf facility.

Instead of constructing one large building, Foothills Park & Recreation District decided to develop the recreation campus in stages. The first building, The Peak, houses administrative offices, a fitness center and community meeting rooms. The second building, The Edge, is a skating facility with two full-size sheets of ice. The newest building, The Ridge, houses three elaborate swimming pools, with Barker Rinker Seacat's signature water features and play areas.

Dave Hammel, principal in charge for Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture, says the firm designed The Ridge to take full advantage of its spectacular setting and views of the Colorado Front Range.

"Completion of the Ridge rounds out the Foothills Recreation District's offerings to people who want to play." Hammel says. "Now they can swim, play basketball, climb the indoor rock wall, play racquetball and run on a magnificent indoor track around the building's perimeter."

The Ridge has three pools: a lap pool, a leisure pool and therapy pool. The therapy pool is a raised temperature pool available for classes, exercise and rehabilitation. The 25-meter by 25-yard lap pool has a one-meter and a three-meter diving board. The leisure pool boasts an 18-ft high waterslide, interactive play structure and a large, lazy river feature.

"The use of natural lighting not only brings the beautiful outdoors inside, but it saves the community money on utility bills which we can further use for more programming options," says Edie Hilton, assistant director of leisure services for Foothills Parks and Recreation.

Barker Rinker Seacat has completed projects in more than 20 cities in Colorado in addition to facilities in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The company also designs schools, museums, libraries, city halls and work places. In Colorado, it also designed the Colorado Municipal League building in Greenwood Village, the Greenwood Village City Hall, Kaiser Permanent's regional headquarters, the American Mountaineering Center in Golden and numerous facilities for the National Park Service.