YC’s aquatic park is reality

Yuba City dedicated its newest and most elaborate park Thursday.

With everything from a 25-foot-high water slide to a 10-lane competition pool and river-themed play area outside the pool area, Gauche Aquatic Park passed muster with Mayor John Miller.

“Isn’t this is a beautiful facility?” asked Miller. “This is something that all of the citizens of Yuba City can be proud of.”

Parks and Recreation Director Skip King compared the new park to a gem.

“This nine-acre facility is a diamond that will be enjoyed by residents of the city for years to come,” said King.

The city’s newest park, on C Street, is just about complete except for some of the landscaping and detail work on the pool building.

King said it would be 95 percent finished by next week.

The lap pool, slide and kids pool are ready to go and will be open for the next two weekends after a 10:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting Saturday.

After Oct. 14, it will be closed to the public until May 1, with area swim teams using the pool beginning in February.

Water in the competition lap pool is a balmy 78 degrees, 72 degrees in the play pool.

Merry Finch, a District 10 resident and master’s swim coach, was looking forward to swimming at the new park and starting a master’s program there.

“It’s going to be a great pool to work out in,” said Finch.

As a competitive swimmer, she noted the pool timing system, the construction which eliminates waves, and the deep water which makes for faster swim times, she said.

It’s also a little larger than most of the older, 25-yard city pools which generally have six to eight lanes, said Finch, who swims at facilities in the Bay Area, Chico and Davis.

“I’m hoping we can get a lot of people here swimming,” said Finch.

Yuba City Parks Commissioner Clarine Musfelt was impressed with the pool.

“I think it’s beautiful,” said Musfelt. “I can’t imagine a more fun time for a child than the children’s areas.”

The once-scruffy park was remade and expanded at an expected final cost of $16.4 million, according to recent city figures, less than the $18.6 million budgeted for the project.

“You look and you can see where the money went,” said Councilman Tej Maan. “It’s a very nice, state-of-the-art facility. I think Yuba City residents are going to be proud of this facility and make good use of it.”