OpenAire donates $25K to PlayGrand Adventures at The Epic Grand Central, as well as building a ground-breaking 62,000-square-foot indoor retractable roof waterpark
When a city in the heart of Texas has a name like Grand Prairie, you know it is going to have big dreams. That’s why it shouldn’t be surprising that Grand Prairie, in the middle of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, is getting ready to open an epic recreation and community space: The Epic Grand Central. OpenAire has been proud to design and build a customized 62,000-square-foot retractable roof enclosure for The Epic’s indoor waterpark, Epic Waters, and is honored to be making a $25,000 contribution to support PlayGrand Adventures, the largest all-inclusive municipally-owned playground in the southwestern United States, located in the heart of The Epic’s 172-acre complex.
OpenAire has been named a corporate Safe Adventures Village Partner for its donation. OpenAire’s contribution will help PlayGrand Adventures to offer a fun and safe playground for people of every age and ability; where children and adults with special needs and/or handicap can interact, play, and exercise. The playground, includes several areas within the park that will stimulate the senses and encourage independent, creative learning, while giving visitors new opportunities for social interaction and fitness.
“We are very pleased to be giving back to the Grand Prairie community by contributing to this special project, PlayGrand Adventures,” says Mark Albertine, President and CEO of OpenAire, “OpenAire has always been committed to supporting our local communities, and PlayGrand Adventures is an especially exciting project. This kind of accessible playground has never been seen before and will give Grand Prairie an Epic play experience for all members of the community.”
The Epic Grand Central has been a citizen-driven project for all of Grand Prairie. From the start of the project, local residents have shared their vision of what a truly epic community destination should be, with the facility being planned to reflect their needs and dreams. “We hired the very best architects [and developers],” says Tom Cox, Deputy City Manager and Epic Project Manager for Grand Prairie, “because that’s the only way we’re going to get away with calling this ‘The Epic.’” When the city decided The Epic should include an indoor waterpark, the project’s planning team chose the world-leading retractable roof specialist OpenAire to design and build a custom operable enclosure that would be as innovative as the park’s attractions. OpenAire collaborated with Ramaker and Associates and American Resort Management on the waterpark layout, as well as coordinated with The Epic’s architect of record HKS, Inc., to create a retractable enclosure design that fits harmoniously with the entire recreation center’s design. The enclosure’s 36 retractable bays will let in abundant sunlight and fresh air, but also close securely in unfavorable weather while the all glazed envelope provides vibrant light all year long.
Epic Waters and The Epic Grand Central are scheduled to open in November 2017. Both will be a shining example of Grand Prairie’s vision and dedication for many years to come, offering visitors from all around a place to play, keep fit and enjoy all that the city has to offer.
