Construction crews were at work excavating on the site of the new Marshall Aquatic Center, near the corner of Saratoga Street and West College Drive, on Wednesday.

MARSHALL — Construction crews were at work with excavators and other equipment at the site of the new Marshall Aquatic Center on Wednesday. Ground work on the project, located at the corner of College Drive and Saratoga Street, started this spring. Construction of the center’s pools and buildings is planned to start this summer.

The goal is for the new Aquatic Center to be completed in time to open next year.

Construction at the Aquatic Center site isn’t the only work going on along College Drive and Saratoga Street right now. Minnesota Highway 19 (College Drive) is also under construction this summer. In a project update last week, the Minnesota Department of Transportation said it was getting ready for construction on a segment of the roadway near the Aquatic Center site. Light poles were removed, and the traffic signal system at the Saratoga intersection was removed to allow for construction work, MnDOT said.

In March, the Marshall City Council approved a $19.17 million budget for construction of the new Aquatic Center. The project is using a scaled-down design, created after construction bids came in higher than expected last year. Council members opted to reject the bids and redesign the Aquatic Center.

Marshall voters had approved the use of up to $18.37 million in local sales tax funding for the project. In addition, a community fundraising group has raised $420,000 in donations for the project, with another $200,000 pledged.