Williston Parks and Rec will be forever grateful to this group!

Williston Water World is a testament to the power of community.  Through collaborative efforts, generous donors, and an “if anyone can do this, we can” attitude, this project was brought to life and will forever be recognized as an example of what can be accomplished when people put their heads together to make Williston a place to not just make a living, but make a LIFE.

Prior to Williston Water World, the first public outdoor pool in Williston, ND was built in 1934 at Harmon Park. Later known as the Eckert Outdoor Pool, it was a staple of the Williston community for many years. It underwent a major renovation in 1990 to expand its lifespan, but ultimately, it closed for good in 2014, alongside the opening of the Williston Area Recreation Center. Due to aging equipment, structural concerns, ADA compliance, and a limited site, renovation or replacement was infeasible. Generations of kids spent the hot summer days there with friends and family, and for longtime Williston residents, it seemed like the days of summertime fun at the outdoor pool were gone for good.

Five years later, a group of community-minded individuals began brainstorming how to bring outdoor aquatics back to Williston. Fueled by memories of their own childhood summers, the group envisioned a new space where families, seniors, and—most importantly—kids could once again enjoy sunshine and splashing on hot summer days. Although the COVID-19 pandemic paused their plans in 2020, the dream of outdoor aquatics in Williston never faded.

In January 2021, a pivotal community group joined the growing effort to bring an outdoor pool back to Williston. After completing a previous project, the Williston Community Builders—who operate by the mantra “Building a Better Community, One Friendly Face at a Time”—set out to find their next opportunity to make a difference. This diverse group of individuals, some longtime residents and some new to calling Williston home, heard the community’s call. They knew it would take a monumental effort to bring an outdoor pool back to Williston. But they BELIEVED in the power of the PEOPLE in Williston, and they were confident the time and energy would be well spent.

A shared vision by two separate groups brought the project to life. Together, the two groups merged to become the Pool Action Committee (PAC), a sub-committee of the Williston Community Builders. The community is grateful for the group that started the conversations: Cyndy Aafedt, Jessica Bingeman Vestal, Amanda Colebank, Kelly Heller, John Kasmer, John Liffrig, Marvene Larvick, Nick Lippert, Skye Olson, Taylor Olson, and Emily Ramage Geltel.

The WCB Board and community committee designated 5 individuals to manage the project, lead the fundraising efforts, maintain the budget, and vote on the major decisions. The PAC consisted of:

Jessica Bingeman-Vestal

Amanda Colebank

Skye Olsen

John Kasmer

Emily Ramage Geltel

In order to take this project from a vision to a plan, the group enlisted the help of Nick Lippert and Beau LaCoix from JLG Architects, who generously donated their time and resources to help the PAC get started. They assisted the project in a number of ways– they drew up plans, did case studies on surrounding pools in the area, narrowed down plausible locations, sized the pool for population, helped develop a realistic budget for the project, and so much more. JLG Architects gave the PAC the tools they needed to start the conversations with donors—and their contribution will never be forgotten.

With optimism and momentum, the PAC and Williston Community Builders hosted their first fundraiser in June 2021. The support shown at this event made it clear: the community was ready to “dive” into a project of this scale.

A special thank you to the Marvene and Steve Larvick family for the project’s first large pledge—it made the PAC believe that the project could become a reality. An additional thank you to First State Bank and Trust for its inaugural donation to the project. Their contributions made a huge splash, and without them, this project may have never gotten off the ground.

From the beginning, the project had strong backing from the City of Williston and Williston Economic Development. Together, the groups collaborated on choosing a location best suited for the project, and the City of Williston stepped up in a big way and donated the land. The location chosen was actually owned by Williston Public School District #7 and the El Rancho, Inc. The school district and the city worked together to get the land deeded to the Williston Community Builders for construction, and the El Rancho, Inc. granted the proper easements. The cooperation and dedication from these groups was second to none.  Thank you to the City of Williston for the perfect home for Williston Water World!

With community support, a plan, and a location, the last piece of the puzzle was determining who would operate the pool upon completion. Neither the PAC nor the Williston Community Builders were equipped to operate such a project long term, and they knew that the best team for the job would be the folks in town already running a pool. The PAC presented the project to the Williston Parks and Recreation Board (WPRD). Thankfully, the WPRD Board saw the merit of the project, joined the effort, and the project took off.

Although this project was privately built, the PAC followed public bidding protocols. From the beginning, it was clear this would be a true community effort. The PAC selected EAPC Architects and JE Dunn Construction to lead the build. Throughout construction, many companies stepped up to provide a portion of their services as in-kind contributions, including EAPC Architects, JE Dunn Construction, 3 Forks Services, Joe’s Digging Service, Inc., Interstate Engineering, Landscape Elements, Winn Construction, Dakota Ink and AET. 

After the design and construction teams were selected, the PAC brought on two more members: Nick Lippert and Joe Barsh. An architect, a CPA, a lawyer, a banker, the Executive Director of Williston Parks and Rec, a mother of three with a business background and deep roots in the community, and an entrepreneur and longtime community enthusiast gave the group all the tools and experience needed to bring this 100% fundraised project to fruition.

Even with the support of the community, the project was not without challenges and frustrations. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, the COVID pandemic wreaked havoc, caused delays, and resulted in skyrocketing prices. The group was dedicated to the project throughout this unprecedented and ever-changing time.  The project's budget doubled, and the PAC had to make the difficult decision to turn the pool construction into a phased project. The goal of the first committee, the PAC, and the Williston Community Builders was to get an outdoor pool operational by summer of 2025—a goal no one was going to fall short of!

By May of 2023, the Williston Community Builders / PAC had raised just over $8 million and felt comfortable moving forward with construction of Phase 1. On September 8, 2023, Williston Water World officially broke ground. At the ceremonial groundbreaking, one of the donors in attendance heard that, due to funding shortfalls, the project would need to be completed in phases over multiple years. In yet another example of the “can-do” attitude displayed by so many involved in this project, Lois (Buck) Scheele brought tears to the eyes of those in attendance when she told the committee that she, along with John Kasmer and Cheryl Powers, would do whatever it took to ensure the ENTIRE project could all be completed at once.

The Williston Community Builders and the PAC were the driving forces behind the fundraising efforts. Together, they raised over $15 million to turn this dream into a reality. The groups hosted a wide variety of fundraisers, including: Festival of Trees, “Pumping for a Pool,” “Popping for a Pool,” “Shaving Up for a Pool,” “Fill a Tank, Fill a Pool,” “Pints for a Pool,” community concerts, three golf tournaments, games at Summer Nights on Main, a paver fundraiser, and special events on Giving Hearts Day. They applied for over 50 grants and presented the project to countless businesses, individuals, and nonprofits. The groups were featured on the radio, in newspapers, and interviewed by local news stations multiple times. The Williston Community Builders and the PAC also sent out mailings and made hundreds of phone calls—they left no stone unturned in their mission to bring this amenity back to our community!

The Williston Community Builders and the PAC are entirely volunteer-led groups. Their members dedicated hundreds of hours away from their families, jobs, and personal lives to serve the community and work together toward a common goal. Their efforts will forever stand as a powerful example of what a small but determined group of committed citizens can accomplish.

After more than a decade without an outdoor pool, a new chapter begins in 2025 with the opening of Williston Water World—a powerful symbol of community spirit, perseverance, and vision. This is more than just a pool; it is a symbol of what Williston can achieve when we come together.