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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2012-08-08 PACKET 08.D.City of Cotta Grove J Minnesota To: City Council and Parks Commission From: Zac Dockter, Parks and Recreation Director CC: Ryan Schroeder, City Administrator Date: July 31, 2012 Subject: Highlands Park Splash Pad Update The Highlands Park Splash Pad officially opened at Noon on July 3 Project construction took approximately 15 weeks meeting its goal of opening prior to the July 4th holiday. In general, the project moved along smoothly with only minor complications. Perhaps the largest obstacle was installing landscaping in 100 degree heat and humidity while also trying to keep sod and plants alive just days /hours prior to opening. Since the splash pads initial opening, usage has been very high. Contributing factors include the newness of the facility, the fact it is the sole outdoor water recreational facility in the community and the consistent hot/dry weather pattern. Staff has been tracking usage regularly to full understand the impacts of this feature on the community. As of July 31, net usage is estimated to be 9,100. This compares to 5,700 uses at the outdoor municipal pool during the entire 2011 season. We are finding that most splash pad users typically visit for less than two hours. However there certainly are plenty of users enjoying the park and splash pad for extended periods. A positive comment heard repeatedly from users is that they can come and go as they please with no worry of admission costs. Parents are just as comfortable to stop in for a 20 minute play in the water as they are to pack a lunch and stay for several hours. Perhaps the most pleasant impact of the splash pad has been its overall effect on Highlands Park. Since the opening of the splash pad the playground, ballfields, courts, trails, shelters and building are used more than ever. In previous years you could find 0 -4 people on the playground at any given time. There are now regularly 10 -25 users. Building rentals are coming in daily for family functions, birthday parties, team parties and more. Parents are scheduling "play dates" at the park where kids can have fun on the pad while the adults socialize, walk or play tennis. We've heard stories of people catching up with former neighbors or friends in the community that they haven't seen or talked to in years. Highlands Park has truly become a great community gathering place. Building rentals request are being processed regularly. The Highlands Park building has permitted 24 rentals to date for the summer. Staff is conservatively projecting 40 rentals for 2012 season. This compares to 10 rentals in 2011 and an increase of nearly $2,000 in facility rental revenue. We would expect these numbers to increase as more residents and perhaps non - residents become aware of this opportunity. Splash pad operations are running as expected. Regular maintenance has been minimal. A park maintenance staff visits the site each morning for an hour or two to unlock /clean restrooms, clean the pad areas, take out trash and assure the splash pad is operational. Police staff has helped by locking up the restrooms each night around 9pm. This helps to not only assure restrooms are secure but also should help reduce potential for vandalism or misbehavior by having that presence each night. Water features are adjusted regularly to assure proper flow. Finding that perfect flow rate for each feature has been challenging as even the slightest change in water pressure can have a dramatic change in how the water is distributed. Also, some grading corrections will be necessary near the pad in the next week or two to assure proper drainage. Staff has heard a handful of concerns regarding the flow- through design of the Highlands Park splash pad . By using fresh water and sending directly to waste the splash pad has been averaging usage of 60- 80,000 gallons per day. This is about 1 % of the city's average daily use of 9 -11 million gallons per day for similar weather. We would expect this number to decrease considerably once weather patterns change. To date, there simply has been little to no cool or rainy days. As concerns have been heard about the flow- through design, we have also received many positive responses to this type of system. With recent health scares at the splash pad at the Como Zoo, the Lake Elmo beach and others, the flow- through design provides assurance to parents and all users that health risks are extremely minimal with this system. Areas of improvement that we are currently working on or considering include: 1. Correcting grading issues and improving water runoff issues. 2. Adding rule /informational signage. 3. Adding seating areas. 4. Work with EDA to add signage promoting local businesses, community and parks. Overall, the project can certainly be considered a success. The community appears to be excited to have this new water feature available to them and they are not shy about praising the amenity. Providing this splash pad to our residents certainly helps to fulfill the Parks and Recreation Department's mission of providing policies, places and programs that enable active living to improve the health, well- being, education and vitality of our community.