City of Lawton Breaks Ground on Elmer Thomas Park Aquatics Center Designed by Guernsey

Lawton, OK — A historic milestone for the City of Lawton as community leaders, citizens, and officials gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Elmer Thomas Park Aquatics Center. Designed by Guernsey, this facility will introduce exciting new recreational opportunities to Lawton and the surrounding region.

"These grounds will be transformed as we’re not just breaking ground but we’re breaking barriers,” said Lawton Mayor Stan Booker. "This project reflects our commitment to being a community of choice where families thrive.”

The 42,200-square-foot aquatics center, set to open by July 2025, features a variety of attractions to meet the diverse needs of families and visitors of all ages. Highlights include a recreational pool with a zero-entry section for young children, a lap pool, diving boards, and a dedicated area for water slides. The center also boasts a lazy river, swim lanes, and a 6,400-square-foot building housing restrooms, concessions, and office space, providing year-round amenities for visitors to Elmer Thomas Park.

In designing the aquatics center, Guernsey set out to create a space that promotes the community’s health and well-being and elevates the park’s overall appeal. J.D. Clark, AIA, Guernsey's lead architect for the project, emphasized how crucial it was to gather input from residents to ensure the facility met everyone’ s needs. When asked what it’s like to contribute something the entire community- and especially the children – will enjoy for years to come, he shared:

"It’s a lot of fun! I have two little kids, and my daughter was looking at the plans while we were designing it, offering up suggestions. I’d say, ‘We’re doing that!’ and she’d get so excited. Being a dad, I see how much fun this will be for the kids. We talk about pools being for the children, but this pool is truly for all ages.”

In partnership with Miller-Tippens Construction, the new facility will use the park's existing utilities and flat terrain to keep construction costs efficient and reduce environmental impact. Additionally, the building has been designed for year-round use, ensuring that Lawton's residents and park visitors can benefit from the facilities even outside the traditional swim season.

The first visitors are expected to splash into the pool in summer 2025.