After more than a year of construction and $16 million in renovations, Shoreview opened its newly expanded indoor water park at the city's community center just in time for winter break.

The park has a new shallow pool, splash areas and slides. The city also doubled the size of the indoor playground, upgraded the fitness center's locker rooms and added several studio rooms that will allow the parks department to run programs for seniors along with music, drama, arts and science programs, said City Manager Terry Schwerm.

The renovated water park opened its doors Dec. 15. While daily usage totals have not yet been compiled, capacity at the park is about 500 people, and there were times this week when attendance approached that limit, Schwerm said. The water park, at 4580 Victoria St. N., is open seven days a week.

"This is really our first major expansion since 1990, when the community center opened," he said. "We've been extraordinarily busy these first two weeks, so we've been pleased, excited and thrilled that it is getting so much use."

Tickets for the water park range from $8.50 to $11, with discounts for Shoreview residents and families. It will never be a moneymaker for the city, Schwerm said, but it does offer an easy way for families to stay active and warm without traveling to places such as the Wisconsin Dells.

"We're always looking at the Mounds View school district, which serves about 90 percent of Shoreview," Schwerm said. "The student population is really growing, so as we continually try to serve our residents we know it's a good time to enhance our facilities, especially what we have here for young kids."

Star Tribune, Star Tribune
Zyran Vang, 4, of Brooklyn Park, played underneath a fountain in the expansion of the Shoreview Community Center's water park Friday afternoon.

Now that the indoor work is done, the city will turn its attention to expanding Shore­view Commons Park outside the community center.

In 2019, the city plans to build a pier and plaza off the pond just north of the community center to serve as a pavilion for outdoor weddings. The city also will add trails, gardens, an ice-skating rink, a new playground and six pickle­ball courts. In the next two years, the city hopes to install a "destination playground" in the park, with restrooms and a concessions stand.

Greg Stanley • 612-673-4882