Splish, Splash! The New Aquatic Center Is a Summer Sensation

By Heather Rule 

The Pelican Rapids Aquatic Center made a splash when it opened in the spring of 2025. The city is looking forward to another great summer of aquatic fun in 2026. 

The first season was great and exceeded expectations, said Lance Roisum, Pelican Rapids City Administrator. 

“We didn’t really quite know what to expect with a brand-new pool,” Roisum said. “But it was extremely busy. We were very happy with the attendance daily and with season passes.

“Any day it was nice out, that thing was packed. That was great to see.” 

One of the goals for the new pool was to reach more people than just Pelican Rapids residents, Roisum shared. 

“It’s something for them to do in the summer, and it’s also something to attract other people to our town,” Roisum said. “It’s a great amenity to have. It was great to hear the kids playing and splashing around again this summer. You didn’t really realize that you missed that until it came back. For two summers, we didn’t have that.” 

This new aquatic center was constructed on the same site as the previous public pool. Pelican Rapids went two summers without a public pool while construction took place. 

While the old facility was one large pool with a small kiddie pool, the new aquatic center includes a large water slide, a diving board, a lap-swim area, a zero-entry with a softer pool floor perfect for younger kids, various play features in the pool, a splash pad, and a lot more amenities. 

A typical pool season for this outdoor facility is Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day weekend. They’ll try to stay open as long as they can toward the end of the summer. The pool was open daily for open swim, plus an hour of lap swim on weekdays that could possibly expand to the weekend, too. It also offers swimming lessons. Hours are subject to change based on staffing issues and weather. 

The city is looking to keep the pool affordable going forward. Last season, daily passes were $6 each, a daily family pass cost $30 for up to eight immediate family members,and season passes were  $75 for adults and $64 for children under 18. 

For more information, hours and pricing: pelicanrapids.com/pelican-rapids-pool/