When you get national recognition, “it's always a big deal,” Bob Archer said Tuesday.
Archer, chairman of the Shawnee County Commission, spoke during a ceremony at the Midwest Health Aquatic Center, 2201 SW Urish Road, at which Bill Maasen — president of the National Association of County Parks and Recreation Officials — presented the “Outstanding Contributor Award » by NACPRO in Topeka. -based on Midwest Health.
NACPRO recognized the company and its founders and owners, Jim Klausman and Butch Eaton, for a $1 million Midwest Health gift made to support the creation of the aquatic center, which opened in August.
“As this is a family establishment, we use snow cones instead of champagne to offer a toast,” Archer said.
Archer, Maasen, Klausman and Eaton participated in a ceremony that was also attended by Commissioner Shelly Buhler and Parks and Recreation Director John Knight. Commissioner Kevin Cook was unable to attend due to a prior commitment, Archer said.
The aquatic center is the kind of “visionary facility” that will make young people want to come to Shawnee County and stay, Archer said.
He noted that it attracted more than 15,000 visitors in just 22 days of operation last year.
Archer spoke highly of the facility's features, which include 35-foot-tall waterslides, zip lines and a first-of-its-kind bow tie pool.
“I extend our sincere gratitude to the Midwest Health team,” Archer said.
He said the new facility has been featured in World Waterpark Magazine, on the cover of Parks & Rec Business Magazine and in an article in the Kansas Recreation and Parks Association magazine.
In addition to his elected position with NACPRO, Maasen is also the parks and golf course supervisor for the Johnson County, Kan., Parks and Recreation District.
Maasen said the award was announced about three weeks ago at NACPRO's annual meeting in Canton, Ohio.
“It's great to do something like this and be here,” he said.
Klausman and Eaton partnered in 1977 to found Midwest Health, a Topeka-based provider of senior living communities that operates more than 50 facilities in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
They are now working on developing the proposed Wheatfield Village retail and residential development at the northwest corner of SW 29th and Fairlawn Road.
Concluding Wednesday's ceremony with a snow cone toast, Archer told the audience that his remarks ended with the statement, “Everybody bites into their snow cone and gets brain freeze.” So do it.”
Contact the reporter Tim Hrentsir at (785) 295-1184 or @timhrenchir on Twitter.
