The City of Evansville prioritizes quality of life, which is evident in its maintenance of 66 acres of park and recreational space across the community. Neighborhood parks, open green spaces, city parks, sports fields and trails — all picturesque destinations for its 5,800 residents to gather.

City leaders envisioned the transformation of two beloved recreational spaces within the community, and in 2021, set into motion plans for the revitalization of Larson Acres Park and Leonard-Leota Park. The approach was to remove an existing aged municipal pool from Leonard-Leota Park, replace it with a splash pad, and build a new regional aquatic center at Larson Acres Park. MSA was selected to provide master planning and design services for the dual park upgrade, which would introduce a new public aquatic center, new splash pad, new ball diamonds and a multitude of other park enhancements. The design work was completed in collaboration with Water Technology, Inc. (WTI) as the aquatics/splash pad designer and Rettler Corporation as the athletic fields specialist.

Evansville Aquatic Center

The new Evansville Aquatic Center replaces a deteriorating pool facility at the Leonard-Leota Park property and moves it west, placed within a 24-acre site now called Larson Acres Park (formerly West Side Park). Named after local community members Don and Virginia Larson whose family farmed the land for decades and made a generous donation in support of the project, the aquatic center is quickly becoming a beloved Evansville centerpiece.

The dynamic new facility was designed to serve individuals of all ages, abilities and interests, with features that include a six-lane pool, aqua climbing wall, diving board, lazy river, basketball hoops, water slides, zero-depth entry area, in-ground spray geysers and places to lounge in the sun or shade. The bath house building is a brightly lit and welcoming facility with an admissions counter, restrooms, staff kitchen, concessions area, locker rooms, lifeguard support station, administrative and mechanical spaces. An associated pool equipment building also creates reservable poolside gathering areas to support patron events.

Larson Acres Park

Improvements have been made to the surrounding Larson Acres Park property as well. The overall design adds a new north-south drive on the west end of the property with community gardens, parking and drop-off provisions.  Beyond the new aquatic center are two upgraded full-size soccer fields, new baseball and softball fields, a multi-sport court, centralized open green space for flexible use, and network of accessible multiuse trails and sidewalks connecting park amenities to each other as well as to parking areas. Stormwater systems have been designed to meet WDNR requirements as well as project needs, while responsibly conveying and filtering on-site stormwater.

The new City of Evansville Aquatic Center formally opened to the public on June 7, 2024, with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting and attendance from members of the State of Wisconsin legislature, local dignitaries, project stakeholders, and many excited community members.

Leonard-Leota Park Splash Pad

With the decommissioning of the City’s former on-site pool, this portion of the historic Leonard-Leota Park seemed the perfect location for a new community splash pad. MSA’s design recognized the opportunity to reinvent the area with a tiered terraced design to climb the south-facing hillside and overlook the park’s 40-acre steam-fed lake, which welcomes a variety of recreationalists year ‘round including canoeists, boaters, swimmers, anglers, and ice skaters.

The splash pad itself is a flow-through design and respects the historic setting with multiple interactive in/on-slab water features such as ground sprays and geysers. Being that splash pads are zero-depth entry, they are designed to accommodate people of all ages, abilities, and comfort levels. The “sprayground” is surrounded by new patio spaces and a refurbished parking area, with room to accommodate a planned refurbishment of the former “park store” into a gathering community room with lake-view terrace.

Evansville’s new splash pad at Leonard-Leota Park will formally open to the public on June 22, 2024.