The new aquatic facilities opened Memorial Weekend of 2018.

The City of St. Charles currently has three outdoor aquatic facilities that it owns and operates. They are located in Wapelhorst Park, Blanchette Park and McNair Park. Blanchette and McNair facilities opened in 1992 and Wapelhorst opened in 1996.

In 2014, Kimley Horn/Counsilman-Hunsaker Team were retained to complete a City wide aquatic facilities study and master plan. The facility was completed in July 2014 and then the final Citywide Aquatic Facility Master Plan was completed in May 2015. The Parks and Recreation Board recommended that the current Blanchette Aquatic Faciltiy be completely demolished and a new aquatic facility be built on a new site nearby. They also recommended at Wapelhorst Aquatic Facility the current bath house/concession stand and “speed slide” remain and all the other amenities be demolished and the new aquatic facility/amenities be built on the same site.

One August 2, 2016, the residents of the City of St. Charles in August of 2016 approved a 1/2 cent sales tax that would be split 2/3’s of the funding going to Storm Water and 1/3 going to the Parks & Recreation Department for outdoor recreational uses. Over the 15 year life of the sales tax it is estimated to generate $21,000,000 for the Parks & Recreation Department. Of that amount $18,000,000 has been set aside for the replacement of the Blanchette Aquatic Facility and renovation of the Wapelhorst Aquatic Facility. The remaining $3,000,000 has been allocated towards playground replacements, athletic filed light upgrades and ball field upgrades.

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