City-County Athletic Complex board members Monday heard a proposal for constructing a splash pad at the CCAC.
Kosciusko Leadership Academy Graduates Jeremiah Heierman and Aaron Christner attended Monday's meeting to request property at the CCAC be used to build a splash pad.The graduates requested CCAC be considered as a site for the splash pad and CCAC to provide continued maintenance.
Warsaw Park Board has reviewed the proposal since its Feb. 17 meeting and have been considering and discussing possible locations for the splash pad.
"We have made our proposal to the park board that has not yet decided on a location and are trying to keep our options open for locations," Heierman said.
He said Warsaw, Winona Lake, Leesburg and Milford are interested in having a splash pad.
"It's not that the project has died. I think the project has grown and is being entertained by a lot of people, and we didn't want to just lock it into a park location and wait," Heierman said.
Heierman said the park board has done a good job on researching issues such as water drainage and water mains, but a location is still needed to be approved for the splash pad.
He said the city would not be responsible for funding the splash pad, but grants would be sought.
Heierman said he and Christner have done some fundraising efforts and have looked at grants. The cost to install a splash pad is $125,000.
Heierman said fundraising efforts have not yet begun, and they are still trying to find a location.
Some suggested locations have been Beyer Park east of the restrooms; Bixler Park north of the horseshoe pits; and Hire Park on Arthur Street, east of the BMX track.
A splash pad is an aquatic recreation system that provides combinations of interactive play for children and people with disabilities. It has no standing water and has an automated system where an individual presses a button or turns a nozzle on the equipment to signal the water to turn on.
Heierman said funds could be raised and money could be put into an endowment fund for upkeep on the splash pad.
The group won the KLA Jean Northenor award that allowed them to have architectural drawings completed for the splash pad.
Karl Swihart, City-County Athletic Complex director, said during the meeting that he would support having a splash pad at the CCAC.
"We have talked about the possibility of a pool out here, and I can say during the week right now we get several people out here just to use the batting cages, so I don't think driving out here would be an issue," Swihart said. "It would be something new and safe for the community and they would not have to worry about going into the lakes with E. coli."
He said a splash pad would be economical and a great addition to the CCAC park.
"Not only would it be a place for the community to come out and use it during the week, but it could be used on weekends during tournaments when there is 90-degree weather," Swihart said.
Renee Sweeny, CCAC board member, also said she supported having a splash pad at the CCAC. She said it would be an asset to the existing playground and greenway trail.
"I think if we want this park to be something and we want to expand or grow in the future, why not have the splash pad here?" Sweeny asked.
Larry McDermott, CCAC board vice president, said the board will get back to the KLA group on their decision to allow CCAC property to be used for a splash pad.
Christner said there is not a lot of maintenance for a splash pad, but there is a computer that runs the system and maintenance would depend on what kind of infiltration system would be used.
Christner said for smaller splash pads, a lifeguard would not need to be on duty, and other cities they researched that have splash pads are maintained by parks departments.
Heierman said Kosciusko County residents are driving to other splash pads such as those in Columbia City, Bremen and Bourbon.
"We are very fortunate to live in an area with a lot of lakes, but lakes become closed due to E. coli and people are traveling outside of our community to use splash pads," Heierman said.
