After several complaints of flooding on campus, ACU has decided to embrace the lack of drainage by opening a fully functional waterpark in the campus mall next fall. Construction on this project is set to start June 1.
Corey Ruff, associate vice president of operations, said he has been excited about this idea for some time.
“I know professors and students are tired of trekking to class in deep, large puddles only to ultimately be left with wet socks and endless frustrations,” Ruff said. “Now, our ACU community can enjoy the lack of drainage as it will be used for the first-ever, fully functional ACU water park.”
Construction will start by clearing out the campus mall, a space where flooding is at times abundant. Next, a selection of five large water slides, a lazy river and a 4 ft deep pool will be added. These slides will have stairs that wrap around the well-loved Kojie tree that leads to the platform that is connected to each slide.
Adriana Amaya, sophomore elementary education major from Savoy, said she has mixed feelings about this project.
“I appreciate that they’re trying to turn the lack of drainage into something fun for the students,” Amaya said. “I’m just not sure how ideal a fully functional waterpark in the center of campus is. I mean, think of the cats. They already don’t like water.”
Controversy has continued to swell around the project as the details continue to emerge; however, Phil Schubert, president of ACU, has high hopes for this project, and he said he is looking forward to the beginning of construction.
“This is a phenomenal idea that will benefit our entire ACU family,” Schubert said. “Why would we solve the drainage issue when we could turn it into something so fun and magical. I can guarantee I will be the first one there with my goggles and floaties ready.”
In order to compensate for the money being spent on this project, tuition will increase by 7% next semester. Students will be given free t-shirts and stickers at the grand opening to offset this increase in price.
“We don’t want to increase the financial burden on any of our students, but I know this water park is something that will be loved by generations to come,” Schubert said. “In the end, I feel the tuition increase will be small in comparison to the smiles and laughs our community will share next fall. Go Wildcats!”
