By Rapids City Times staff

WISCONSIN RAPIDS – The city of Wisconsin Rapids has received an offer for a matching grant to stimulate fundraising toward the proposed aquatic center adjacent to Witter Field.

The park would be situated between Witter Field, the tennis courts and skate park, and would offer facilities for year-round activities.

Work began on an enhanced Witter Field Recreation Complex in April 2016, when the city approved plans for design development of a new aquatics center that would serve as a replacement for Mead Pool.

A design concept was finalized this past spring, which included three pools, a shelter, ice skating facilities, a playground, as well as other amenities.

Fundraising for the project includes $10 million for the core project and an estimated $1.5 million for additional components. The city has committed $5 million to the project, but the remainder will need to come from philanthropic and private funding.

A donor has now come forward to offer $2.5 million in a matching grant for the core project, providing the city can raise $2.5 million. The combined matching efforts, along with the original $5 million commitment from the city, would secure the $10 million for the core project; however, the conditions of the grant require city officials to secure the funds for the $1.5 million in additional components by Jan. 31 and complete the project within the next two years to meet its requirements. This places the city’s fundraising goal at $4 million by Jan. 31.

The donor has not been identified.

City officials are working toward a 2020 opening for the complex.