DOTHAN, Ala. (WDHN) — Water World has served as a getaway attraction for the Wiregrass when the heat is on and you need a chill.

The park has been in Dothan since 1980 but hasn’t seen any new upgrades since 2000.

Friday, city leaders saw plans from the Dothan Leisure Services Department on upgrades to the water park.

Phase 1 will be a three-flume waterslide complex, and if improved by the city commission, it will be completed by May of 2020.

“We don’t anticipate for Water World to be closed at any point,” Aquatics Manager Kelly Carter said. “We might have to close off certain areas of the park, but we will try very hard to do the majority of any improvements made during the winter.”

Phase two will include a lazy river and cabanas, and phase three will include two new slides and a family raft ride.

Carter said there is no time frame to when these phases will be completed.

Commissioner Beth Kenward believes these upgrades will keep residents from going elsewhere and also attract visitors from other areas.

“You know people shop at our stores, they eat at our restaurants, they buy gas here and we’re very reliant on those tax dollars so it has a very so it has a very multi-prong approach,” Kenward said. “I don’t know if you can fully capture the economic impact that it can have.”

The commission will vote on phase 1 at the next commission meeting on July 16.