Barbara Morse Wackford Community Complex

The Barbara Wackford Community and Aquatic Complex is a 43,000 square-foot includes an aquatic area with three pools and a waterslide; a community center building containing a teen center, full size gymnasium, meeting rooms, and a preschool; and a world-class skate park.

The single story complex, built of structural steel and a tilt-up concrete addition, is situated on a nine-acre park. The site completes an entire block of Elk Grove Community Services District facilities, including several soccer and softball fields.

Entrance into the main lobby building is under a dramatic cupola that provides extensive natural lighting. The lobby leads into a lounge area with additional skylights. The lounge looks through twelve foot high window walls into the gymnasium where viewers can watch basketball or other games. The aquatic center building, which is attached to the rest of the building in a large L-shape configuration, includes a 25-yard by 25-meter competition pool, a zero depth entry recreation pool, and a kid’s splash pool. The pools are heated by solar thermal panels that are installed on the roof of the gym with a non penetrating roof mounting system. A skate park is located next to the teen center.

Construction challenges included the building of a braced steel frame structure and roof that includes diverse interlocking geometries. Metal stud framing was used to create a true conical roof shape.

“The whole job showcased Rudolph and Sletten’s problem solving abilities and the value engineering they bring to a project. We came in on budget because Rudolph and Sletten came up with numerous ways to reduce the costs, yet still provide a quality project.”- Dave Wigginton
Park Administrator for the Elk Grove Community Services District

Rudolph and Sletten project manager Jeff Russell said the Center contains many unique features, including the standing seam roof. “We have a conical shaped roof with various parts of the roof’s geometries built off site out of structural steel and then assembled on site,” he said.

“The curving, conical roof was a challenge because the flat structural steel metal deck doesn’t bend very well. Jim Whited, Project Superintendent, came up with a creative framing solution by using metal studs and clips of different heights like spokes of a wheel to create the cone effect.” The dramatic cone roof is 55 feet across and the roof is on a 7:12 pitch, which is almost too steep to walk on. The top is 30 feet in the air.

Another challenge was to provide the Community Services District with a facility that would have the lowest possible maintenance costs. In order to obtain this goal, Rudolph and Sletten identified high-quality durable products that were also very affordable, and helped to solve long-term maintenance issues.

The aquatic center, designed to accommodate competitive swimming events as well as recreation for all ages, includes a 25-yard by 25-meter competition pool, a zero depth entry recreation pool, and a kid’s splash pool. The complex contains a number of water play features, including a water slide.

The aquatic complex has hundreds of yards of intricate piping that feeds all of the pools and play features through the center’s pumping and filtration room. The pool water gravity drains to the filtration area and is then filtered and pumped back into the pools. The center also contains a special area with additional piping for on-site chlorine generation.

• A signature 11,000 square foot in-ground concrete skateboard park, designed by Zack Wormhoudt, one of the sport’s leading skate park designers and skaters. The park’s features include cloverleaf and kidney shaped bowls that are seven to eight feet deep. The skate park also includes street features such as stairs, ramps, and grinding rails
• A large tilt-up concrete gymnasium with a full size basketball court that can be broken down into three volleyball courts. There are two cross-courts. The gym, which can also be used for large banquets, has a new generation cushioned pad flooring material that is excellent for athletic play and is extremely durable
• A teen center with a state-of-the-art sound system
• A preschool, meeting rooms, offices, a community room and a snack bar