Published: May 06, 2008 10:59 am            

Summer heat on your mind? New splash pad will soon be ready to cool you down

It’s certain to make a splash at Chadick Park this summer — and the kids will probably like it too.

Work has been under way on the new splash pad on the park’s west end, just off South Third Street.

“It’s our first splash pad,” said McAlester Community Services Director Mel Priddy.

The city hopes to have the splash pad ready for public use by the time the Chadick Park wading pool and other wading pools in the city open on June 2, Priddy said. The splash pad is just to the north of the wading pool.

Playing on the splash pad will be as easy as pushing a button. When a button on the pad is pushed, the pad will shoot water into the air in a variety of different sequences. It’s been programmed to shoot different sequences each time the button is pushed.

The city contracted with Roy Thomas Construction to install the pad, with plans for city personnel to conduct the final work needed on the project.

Plans call for city personnel to install more concrete west of the pad, then add tables and chairs to the outdoor area which is just west of the splash pad. That way, the site can serve as a recreation area for both the wading pool and the new splash pad at Chadick Park.

“There’s still some dirt work that needs to be done,” said Jared Weeks of the city’s Facilities Department.

A few other bits of work also remained, he noted, as city employee Steve White painted the lid of an underground container holding the splash pad’s operating system.

Priddy said money for the $31,000 project came from both private and public sources.

“Bob Wallace was the first one who donated,” Priddy said. He said Wallace donated $8,500 to the project. Gene and Francis Stipe donated another $9,200, Priddy said.

With the private donations totaling $17,700, that left another $13,300 for the city to pay. However, Priddy said the city will take its portion from two different budgets — the one for last year and the one for this year.

“We bought the equipment some time ago,” then waited until fairly recently to begin installing it in time for this summer, Priddy said.

He believes the splash pad will be a popular spot this summer.

“A lot of cities have them,” Priddy said. “Kids really enjoy playing in them.”

Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.

        

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