The much anticipated expansion of the Triangle Aquatic Center is about to begin! Starting in April, Phase 1 of the expansion gets underway with the construction of two new parking areas. TAC will be adding 302 new parking spaces in these areas, dramatically increasing our capacity. The need for new parking has arisen due to the changes to Cary Towne Center. Construction on the new IKEA should begin later this year. Part of that construction will include turning the existing parking lot that TAC currently uses for events into a two-story parking structure. Once construction on IKEA begins, mall parking will no longer be available to TAC patrons.
The loss of these spaces at the mall has placed the requirement on TAC to build new parking capacity. Since this capacity is needed almost exclusively for TAC events, the cost for these new lots are being paid through increases in event fees. “Events are solely responsible for subsidizing the construction cost for the parking lot project”, says Mark Frank, Events and Marketing Director at TAC. “No other program or service is being burdened with these costs, since these parking areas are primarily used for events only.”
Additionally, the Triangle Aquatic Center has entered into a relationship with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina for use of their parking lot as additional event parking. Combined with the new TAC parking areas, we are replacing the mall parking with more than 400 new spaces. Use of the Baptist Convention’s parking lots will commence upon completion of the new TAC parking areas and will only be used when the event size warrants it.
TAC patrons will not be affected in any way by the construction of the new parking lots. All facility functions and programs will operate normally during this phase and all existing parking areas will remain open.
