The City of Thornton saw an increase in demand for recreational programs and classes and their current recreational facility was not large enough to accommodate the growing population. Following an initial feasibility study that was originally conducted back in 2015, the outcomes were revisited with fresh eyes in 2016 with the contracted design team, and changes were made based upon new input from project stakeholders and the community. Water Technology, Inc. (WTI) worked alongside a local architect to provide aquatic planning, design, and engineering to deliver the 87,000 state-of-the-art facility. The new aquatic center features a 4-lane, 25-yard lap pool that will be able to better support the high demand for swim lessons in the area in addition to the recreational mix of water slides, a lazy river, and leisure pool with zero-depth entry area. The diverse aquatic center offerings are sure to provide fun and relaxation for every age. Cabana space around the pool will provide ample space for families to congregate and for the community to generate some additional revenue from rental fees.

The new Trail Winds Recreation Center has been a welcome addition to the City of Thornton and came in at 87,287 square feet and a total of $45.25 Million. With a grand opening in Fall 2019, the community had a number of months to enjoy the facility before there were varied shutdowns in 2020 due to complications with COVID-19 and staffing. The future is bright for this engaging new community amenity and it has already been honored with the 2020 Award of Merity for Sports/Entertainment for ENR Mountain States best Projects – Saunders Construction.