Family FunPlex reopens newly renovated waterpark, featuring mural by Denver artist Julia Williams

Greeley’s Family FunPlex now offers new waterpark play features and a stunning public art piece after renovations were completed this month.

The FunPlex reopened on Nov. 7, after about two months of renovations at the center, 1501 36th Ave. In addition to the new play features, the water park was reimagined with an underwater theme. The facility’s air conditioning unit was also upgraded, and the elevator was expanded to meet ADA requirements.

“We dug out the previous play structure and added a new one and a bucket tower, sprayers and painted the slides,” Recreation Supervisor Natalee Conzalex said. “It looks amazing.”

The wall of the waterpark also got a new addition: a giant, colorful mural of underwater creatures.

The FunPlex put out a call to artists, asking for their ideas and bids for the project. After seeing the submissions, the group then chose their favorite of the bunch.

The mural, designed and created by Denver artist Julia Williams, blends the bright colors of sea life with the soothing blues of the ocean’s water and includes fun details like turtles wearing sunglasses and a seahorse donning a life ring.

“We really liked the vibrant colors in this mural and the turtles, which kind of gives it that ‘Finding Nemo’ feel. We liked how fun it was and how the colors blended with the colors in the play structures,” Gonzalez said. “It only took her two weeks to do it.”

The replacement of the play structures has been on the facility’s to-do list for around two years, Gonzalez said. But the mural and the refinishing of the slides were last-minute additions.

“The mural wasn’t initially in our budget, but we were fortunate to get a public art funding, and they paid for all of this public art,” she said. “And we decided that since we were closed, we might as well refinish and repaint the slides, so that project was moved up.”

The warm-water indoor waterpark offers features for all ages such as a lazy river, a zero-depth pool and play structures, two indoor water slides and a lap pool. The facility also offers swim lessons and lifeguard training.

Swim lessons are open to children as young as 6 months, up to 16 years, and classes offered include parent-tot classes up to level 5 classes that teach students safety skills, shallow diving and different swim strokes.

Lifeguard training, which includes online and in-person classes, is open to adults and teens 15 and older. Participants in the training program must be able to complete a 300-yard swim, tread water for two minutes and finish a timed event. Attendees will be awarded their American Red Cross Lifeguard certification upon successful completion of the program.

The next training sessions are set for Nov. 19-21 and Dec. 16-18. The cost is $195 for Greeley residents and $205 for nonresidents.

“Being the only recreation center on this west side of town, we want to give families the opportunity to come somewhere great to play with their kids,” Gonzalez said. “When we thought about this project, we had the kids in mind and what we really wanted to do for them and the services we wanted to offer to the community.”

And you don’t have to be a resident of Greeley to enjoy the use of the waterpark or facility.

“We get people from all over including Fort Collins, Loveland, Fort Morgan and Cheyenne. Everyone is welcome to come, and they can just pay a drop-in fee to use the facility,” Gonzalez said.

The Family FunPlex offers open swim hours noon to 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Admission into the Family FunPlex is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for military and veterans with ID, $5 for youth 6-16 and $2 for children 5 and younger. A 20-visit punch card is $96 per person, and students can receive $1 off admission with a current school ID.

For more information or to register for upcoming classes, go to www.greeleyrec.com.