Photo Credit: Hiawatha Parks and Recreation

 

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha Aquatic Park has officially been renamed in honor of former longtime pool manager Susie McElroy.

A large crowd, including past and present aquatic park staff and members of McElroy’s family, was on hand Saturday morning for a dedication ceremony renaming the pool the “Susie McElroy Aquatic Park.”

Speaking at the ceremony, Hiawatha Parks and Recreation Director Stacy Jasper said, “To generations of kids, Susie was the smiling face at the pool every summer. To parents, she was someone they trusted completely. To coworkers and staff, she was a leader, mentor, and friend. And to this community, she became part of what summer in Hiawatha meant.”

“Year after year, Susie poured her heart into this aquatic park. She created not only a safe and welcoming environment, but a joyful one. She taught young people responsibility, confidence, teamwork, and kindness. Many of the lifeguards and staff she mentored grew up under her guidance, and the lessons she taught extended far beyond the pool deck.”

Jasper said renaming the facility is not simply about honoring years of service.

“It is about recognizing the impact one person can have on an entire town. It is about ensuring that future generations know the name of someone who helped shape so many summers, friendships, and experiences here in Hiawatha.”

“From this day forward, every child who walks through these gates, every family who gathers here, and every memory made in this place, will carry a piece of Susie’s legacy with it.”

McElroy served as aquatic park manager from 1996 to 2010 and died in 2012 at the age of 57 after a long battle with cancer.

The Hiawatha City Commission last November approved dedicating the aquatic park in McElroy’s name.