At last Wednesday's City Council meeting Mayor Kilsheimer's directed the City staff to get proposals for a new Splash Pad. The preliminary budget was set at $250,000.
Which brings up the question: How much splash pad can $250,000 buy in 2016?
The Apopka Voice has done some research and determined that the answer, like so many of life's questions, is, it depends.
How many square feet? How many features (sometimes called "obstacles").
Officials in Naugatuck Borough in Connecticut are hoping to build a modest splash pad with a single obstacle for only $86,650. More about this project here. The Naugatuck spalsh pad would replace a pool that was closed in 2011 and demolished in 2014 after voters there rejected a referendum proposal to spend $1 Million to repair the pool.
A more extravagant splash pad is being considered in Barrington, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Initial estimates for a 3,400 square foot splash pad with 19 water spray features is $600,000. The conceptual design is the feature image for this article and was prepared by Water Odyssey.
The water source for the Barrington splash pad is an underground well. Plans call for the water to be filtered, recirculated and heated.
The Barrington project is being designed to accommodate people of all ages and abilities. The water features are at all different heights and the play equipment is spaced far enough apart for wheelchairs to maneuver. It includes a "mushroom maze," from which water flows from a single pole and cascaded down like a protective dome. This feature reportedly creates a comfortable environment for autistic children.
There were several suggestions during the City Council meeting as to the best place to build the Splash Pad. The Apopka Voice conducted a poll over the weekend. See the results of the poll here: Where should the Apopka Splash Pad be built?
