Great news for all the Austinites who always dread the summer heat: The Colony Park Aquatic Center project is well underway! Conceptualized out of a need for aquatic recreation in the Colony Park and Lakeside areas, the completion of this aquatic center will be a historic occasion. 

Set to be located in Northeast Austin at the 93-acre Colony Park District Park, the center will house a lap lane pool, tot pool, water slide, spray ground feature, training/party room, and office space for the aquatic center itself. New community developments also show that this project will participate in the City of Austin Arts in Public Places program in order to commission a unique art installation at the center upon completion.

An integral part of Colony Park’s master plan involves providing support and access to housing for the community alongside providing a new aquatic center. A new mixed-use development, fondly nicknamed “mini-Mueller,” will transform the Colony Park area. Residents can expect over 3,000 new homes and apartments and up to 960,000 square feet of commercial space, including offices, stores, and restaurants near Colony Loop Drive and Loyola Lane. On March 24, 2022, the Austin Council approved these efforts, making the Colony Park Sustainable Community a top priority moving forward.

The Colony Park Aquatic Center has been in development since early 2021, and progress is moving quickly. After numerous community meetings and surveys that provided a space for the public to voice their vision for this center, the project has reached its Design Phase while preparing to submit for permitting in 2022. It is expected to begin construction in early 2023.

With heavy involvement from the community, this exciting project received funding through the City of Austin 2018 G.O. Bond, which will help extensively with its expected $13.1 million budget. With construction set to be completed at the beginning of 2024, The Colony Park Aquatic Center will be a greatly anticipated space for all Austin local communities, particularly residents from Colony Park.

You can learn more about these projects here or contact me at tmcneil@kw.com to discuss other exciting developments in Austin that you can expect in the near future.