OpenAire, a Canadian manufacturer of enclosure systems, is designing and building a custom 5760-m2 (62,000-sf) retractable roof for The Epic Grand Central’s Epic Waters waterpark in Grand Prairie, Texas.
In addition to building the retractable roof for the city-owned waterpark, the Oakville, Ont.-based company has donated $25,000 to PlayGrand Adventures at The Epic Grand Central which, when it opens this November, will become one of the largest all-inclusive municipally run playgrounds in the southwestern U.S., located in the heart of The Epic’s 172-acre complex.
OpenAire has been named a corporate Safe Adventures Village Partner for its donation, which will help PlayGrand Adventures offer a fun and safe playground for people of all ages and abilities.
“We are pleased to be giving back to the Grand Prairie community by contributing to this special project,” says OpenAire’s president and CEO, Mark Albertine. “OpenAire has always been committed to supporting local communities, and PlayGrand Adventures is an especially exciting project. This type 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. Right from the start, residents 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 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 OpenAire to design and build an operable enclosure that would be as innovative as the park’s attractions. To do this successfully, OpenAire collaborated with Ramaker and Associates and American Resort Management on the waterpark layout, as well as co-ordinated with The Epic’s architect of record HKS Inc., to create a retractable enclosure design that fits harmoniously with the scope of the entire recreation centre. The enclosure’s 36 retractable bays will not only let in an abundance of sunlight and fresh air, but will also close securely during unfavorable weather. The all-glazed envelope provides vibrant light all year long.
