ENGLEWOOD — Englewood is looking at the possibility of expanding its Pirates Cove Family Aquatic Center as it turns 10 this year.

The pirate-themed attraction draws 105,000-110,000 visitors every summer, 1,600 people a day, and produces about $1.1 million in annual revenues. Joe Sack, recreation manager for Englewood, said while the city is more than pleased with the center, after 10 years they’ve noticed the number of guests has plateaued. The city was originally looking to do the expansion in 2012 but it was tabled due to the poor economy.

“We’ve got to remain innovative and creative,” Sack said. “We’ve done a few modifications in the park from its original design, but basically we really haven’t done anything substantial. We need to do some tweaks.”

Pirates Cove has a lazy river feature in which people ride tubes along a flowing circle, slides with different speeds, a standard pool for swimming lessons for kids, and a 500-gallon bucket that dumps water on those below every 4½ minutes.

Brad Anderson, supervisor for aquatic programs for the city, said the bucket is the most popular attraction at the park.

“There’s just something about water cascading down on you that’s invigorating,” he said.

The city is considering a feasibility study this fall to see how the park could expand. Anderson said some ideas include more attractions for teenagers, as the center was built mainly for families. Ideas for that age group could include a mat racer slide or wave rider pool for surfing.

“This is a family aquatic park, but we have noticed a lot with our 15-year-olds, — you don’t really have those attractions to bring those crowds in,” Anderson said. “We’ll be looking at that and if it’s feasible.”

He also mentioned a tube slide for families. The city has $850,000 in Conservation Trust Fund money for a possible expansion, but the entire project would probably cost between $1 million-$2 million.

The expansion will be a challenge since the 5-acre center is landlocked by Belleview Park and Cornerstone Park. But Sack said the feasibility study would address that and if the city can gain some of the adjacent land for the park.

The study has the blessing of council. Rick Gillit represents District 4, which includes Pirates Cove. He said his house is directly to the north of the center. He worried parking would overflow into the neighborhood, but he said it never has.

“It’s a revenue generator, and it brings people to Englewood who live outside of Englewood,” Gillit said.

Sack said while the city had always intended for Pirates Cove to be a regional attraction, the city sees it as more than a revenue generator.

“It was to provide a service to the region,” Sack said. “We don’t want to lose money, of course, … but we wanted it to provide the aquatic experience. It was replacing an old outdated neighborhood pool.”

For Janie Ino, who lives in Parker and came to Pirates Cove with a group of 67 kids May 28, it’s perfect because it’s not as far as big and far as Water World in Federal Heights, which bills itself as the largest publicly owned water park in the country.

“The lifeguards here are great, they really supervise the kids well,” Ino said. “It’s clean, it’s nice, it’s just a great pool.”

Kevin Greene, 14, of Denver, said he has been to Pirates Cove about 10 times since he was born.

He added: “I like how it’s not as big as Water World but not your typical pool.”

Clayton Woullard: 303-954-2953, cwoullard@denverpost.com or twitter.com/yhclayton

If you go

Address: 1225 W Belleview Ave, Englewood

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily but goes to weekends-only the last two weeks in August