NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — The town of Normal renamed one of its summer staples to honor a former mayor.

What was formerly known as the Fairview Aquatic Center will now be known as Karraker Aquatic Center, named after former Mayor Kent Karraker who was in office from 1993 until 2003.

Mayor Chris Koos and Parks & Recreation Director Doug Damery held a ceremony on Monday in respect to the renaming. Koos talked about the importance of investment in an active lifestyle for the town.

“If you want a community where people enjoy living and want to live, you’ve got to have like this,” said Koos. “You’ve got to have Constitution Trail. You’ve got to have pools and parks. So it’s really important to the quality of life of our community.”Heyworth agriculture program earns prestigious state honor

Karraker was an avid supporter of the pool, revnovating it in 1998. He was also an avid supporter of the aquatics program in general.

“Aquatics was important to his family, and he realized the value it had to the community,” Koos said. “This went from just a standalone pool to an aquatic center with all the features, and it was his vision going forward. So we felt it was appropriate to name the facility after him.”

The original pool was built in 1958 before its renovation. The three slides replaced old slides in 2010, and it was resurfaced and painted in 2023. The bathhouse is original from 1958 and was expanded in 1998.

The aquatic center will open on May 24.

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