Gates Park

Gates Park neighborhood is one of the oldest in the city of Waterloo and for decades had been home to one of only two public pools for the approximately 60,000 people that live there. With the help of many local contractors, led by Woodruff Construction, Gates Park was transformed into a state-of-the-art play area for people of all ages in the surrounding communities.

At the top of the hill, a three-court basketball arena with roller skating lanes, a covered amphitheater stage, and restroom building now take over the space where the old pool once stood. Ten feet of soil was removed from the existing hill help nestle those amenities nicely in a natural bowl surrounded by mature pine trees. Towering over the courts are four large Musco Lighting System poles that can turn night into day at the tap of a button. The courts have a surfacing product that makes the area unlike anything in the NE quadrant of the state.

To the west and down off the crown of the hill sits the new all-inclusive spray pad and playground. Both areas were designed to be fully functioning and inclusive for all children – regardless of any disabilities. Separated by a six-unit restroom building, this area of the park has proven to be a massive hit for children of all ages and abilities since the park opened in late July 2024.

South of the spray pad and main playground area is Waterloo’s newest premier soccer field. When designed and constructed, the leaders of Waterloo’s Leisure Service team made it known they wanted this soccer field to be the best around for all their different leagues. Strict grading requirements, seeding requirements, and irrigation requirements also pointed to the importance of this field to the City of Waterloo.

Lastly, another 1/2 mile to the south of the soccer field is another portion of the park that wraps up the renovations. “Lower Gates Park” includes resurfaced tennis courts, half-court basketball court, new playground equipment, and renovation of a restroom structure. Although the smallest portion of the park renovation, it still is quite the improvement to what was previously in its place.

Every bit of this park renovation project is a massive improvement from what original took its place, and continues to prove itself as an equally as large accomplishment for the City of Waterloo.