By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The original 10-year plan for Great Bend’s quality of life projects calls for $240,000 to be allocated for the construction of a splash pad in 2023. Great Bend Interim City Administrator Logan Burns said the simplest splash pad concept with recycling water is coming in at a minimum of $350,000.
At
Tuesday’s Great Bend City Council work session, Burns suggested to locate the splash
pad on the north part of Veterans Memorial Park, on the north side of the
restrooms.
"The idea behind this is to spread out the amenities," said Burns. "This would get it away from Brit Spaugh Park and away from the pool. It would be its own deal. I think on the north side, we have a lot of good things going on over there and developing that side."
The location of the splash pad at Vets would require the city to alter one of the holes on the disc golf course.
Burns went on to say the “starter” splash pad might not meet citizens’
expectations. The actual playing surface would be 40' x 25'. Trying to
make it a destination attraction, Burns suggested a 76' x 72' splash
pad that comes with a price tag of up to $675,000.
With a $2 million project in the works to get started this year for Brit Spaugh Park upgrades, councilmember Cory Urban did not feel accomplishing the splash pad was feasible in the same year.
RELATED STORY: Great Bend reveals design of Brit Spaugh Park overhaul
"I think looking at these numbers, quotes and scope of the project, the splash pad gets knocked down a few years," said Urban. "You get Brit Spaugh out of the way then you go into the splash pad. I don't see any scenario where you do the splash pad and Brit Spaugh together, money wise."
The city council wanted to prioritize the improvements to Brit Spaugh Park, but
keep allocating funds from the .15% quality of life sales tax to construct the
splash pad later.
