Warsaw Park Board Tuesday approved a policy for people who want to rent park facilities the day before an event.
Park Superintendent Jon Garber presented the policy recommendation to the board, and they unanimously approved it.
The policy states at the time of entering into a lease agreement for the rental of a Warsaw Park Department facility, and up to one week prior to the scheduled event, the rented facility, if available, may be rented the day before the scheduled event at the full rental rate, $300."To spend $300 to be able to set up the day before doesn't seem like it's out of sight or out of reach," said Park Board President Bill Baldwin.
The policy also states if, within one week prior to the scheduled event the day before the scheduled event, the facility is not rented the lessee may rent the facility for the purpose of set up only at one-half the normal rental rate, $150.
The fee will be agreed to by the lessee and Warsaw Park Department, the lessor, that if the facility is used by the lessee for set up the day prior to their scheduled event, park department personnel, during normal business hours, will be responsible only for checking for trash and checking the restrooms for adequate supplies of toilet paper, hand roll towels and cleanliness.
"I think this is a fair compromise, and it does let people get in the day prior to an event and it will be their choice if they want to pay full fare or half that amount," said Park Board member Tammy Dalton.
Also during the meeting, the board was presented with a splash pad proposal presentation from Kosciusko Leadership Academy members Jeremiah Heierman, Kathy Stutzman, Aaron Christner and Lynne Dittman.
The group has been researching the costs and benefits of establishing a splash pad in Warsaw.
A splash pad is an aquatic recreation system that provides combinations of interactive play for children and people with disabilities, Stutzman said.
A splash pad 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. It also has interactive water play features for all ages such as dumping buckets and waterwheels.
Heierman said the group has come up with three possible locations for the proposed splash pad.
They are proposing Richardson/Dubois Park on Market Street; Central Park on North Detroit Street; or the vacant lot by Warsaw Police Department on Fort Wayne Street.
Heierman said the Richardson/Dubois Park and Central Park locations were proposed because they have existing water meters, plenty or parking, lots of foot traffic, and are accessible to restrooms and concession stands.
Christner provided a cost analysis and said the approximate cost of a splash pad is $125,000. He said the group is currently seeking grants for the splash pad that takes three to four weeks to construct.
Bill Smith, RecSource Splashpads, Yoder, designs and installs splash pads. He said there are splash pads in Columbia City, Bourbon, Wakarusa, Fort Wayne and South Bend.
He said splash pads have a broom finish surface and the parks department could set hours when the splash pad could be turned off after hours so water could not be activated from the equipment.
Plummer said he will research locations in the city where water and electrical lines and proper water drainage are available.
