Open road, keep pool closed: City
Photo
The wading pool at Riverside Park in Janesville.
JANESVILLE — The upper road in Janesville’s Riverside Park should be opened, but the wading pool should remain closed—at least until all aquatic facilities can be studied by the council in August, City Manager Steve Sheiffer has recommended.
Sheiffer hinted in a memo that a splash pad might be the best alternative for the park. And he suggested spending $10,000 to $15,000 to study the future of the park.
Councilman Bill Truman and Amy Loasching asked that the wading pool and road be put on Monday’s agenda.
A public hearing is not scheduled, but the council allows residents to discuss items on the agenda at the start of the 7 p.m. meeting.
Friends of Riverside Park have been pushing to reopen both the pool and Parkhill Drive for more than two years to help revitalize one of city’s most beautiful parks.
The road was closed in 1996 because of rowdy behavior. The pool was closed in 2002 to save money.
Leisure Services Director Mike Williams recommends that the road be opened one way from north to south. He also suggests a speed limit of 15 mph.
Williams said the friends want to preserve the historical character of the park and open the scenic drive to the driving public.
Some golfers, though, worry about the safety and aesthetics of more traffic. The road comes close to a tee and a green. And they believe reopening the road gives vandals better access to the course.
The friends have pledged $1,500 to help pay for a barrier to keep vehicles off the course.
As for the wading pool, Sheiffer said he is concerned about investing in a facility that is 70 years old and gets flooded when the river is over its banks.
He noted that the pool was closed when the city lost shared revenues.
In 2009, the city must deal with an operations deficit of about $500,000 caused by the state cap on levies.
If the council votes to reopen the pool, funds could be put in the 2008 note issue to be introduced at the May 12 meeting.
Sheiffer estimated the cost of running the wading pool at $24,072, with an average cost per participant of $3.21. This contrasts with the operating cost of $48,595 at Palmer Park Wading Pool, where the cost per participant is $1.87; and at Lions Beach, where the operating cost is $5,103 with a participant cost of 73 cents.
Because of the current flooding, Sheiffer doesn’t know the capital cost to reopen the pool. He estimates staff needs 30 days for those figures.
The cost of a splash pad would be $250,000 with a participant cost of $1.33.
Sheiffer said that when numbers are available he would compare the capital costs and operating costs for a wading pool over 20 years to a splash pad that could be located on higher ground and out of the floodway.
Sheiffer offered $10,00 to $15,000 from the parkland acquisition fund to prepare a plan for the future of Riverside Park.
“… Riverside Park is an extremely important city park and … significant investment is justified to restore the buildings and the grounds,” Sheiffer said. “We also believe there is a need to have a future plan for the park. The community has changed significantly since this park was opened.”
He doubts that the city could reopen the pool for the start of the swimming season given the flooding.
IF YOU GO
The Janesville City Council meets at 7 p.m. Monday in City Hall, 18 N. Jackson St. Residents can address park issues at the start of the meeting.
Apr 27, 2008 at 8:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
Irish, the river is fine to swim in. 100 times cleaner than lions beach and hate to say it I say its better than rockport and their over chlorinating the pool.
As for a beach on the river, well the DNR has final say on that. Even if the city wanted to and they say no, well it wont happen. There is a 'beach' at Traxler but isnt available during ski shows.
Apr 26, 2008 at 7:55 p.m.
Suggest removal
I agree why spend more money studying the park??? HELLO... it's a park and the public is asking for the wading pool to be reopened. Spend the $20,000 on getting the pool ready to be used this year! why wait till after the season is over to look at it?
If the city would stop spending taxpayer money on consultants & studies maybe then we could actually get the imrovements done in a timely fashion. What ever happened to using common sense?
When did we decide that everything has to go to a committee a dozen times before coming to the conclusion that what was thought at first is the right thing to do? come on city of JAnesville do what is right first time around and open up that wading pool.
Apr 26, 2008 at 5:21 p.m.
Suggest removal
Give me the money Ill study the park......
Just came back from studying the park... After the study I feel the park should have the pool reopened along with the road.
Apr 26, 2008 at 5:04 p.m.
Suggest removal
Here's the web page of the Friends of Riverside Park:
http://www.jvlriversidepark.com/
Apr 26, 2008 at 2:46 p.m.
Suggest removal
Splash Pads require an attendant, wading pools do not - according to Wisconsin Administrative Code HFS 172.23. I think the City is including an attendant in their projections, so the cost would be lower. Parents should be able to watch their own kids.
We should also keep the wading pools open past the end of August. It is still super hot in Sept, and the kids that use these pools aren't in school.
Riverside Park has been there for years - it was there before many of the others, and allowed to go to H---.
Preserve Janesville's history - we can't just be known as the City that tears everything down and builds new. We are the City of Parks.
Apr 26, 2008 at 1:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
Please do not open the road up by the golf course.
The chain link fence that was there for years was taken down just a few summers ago & now the Friends of Riverside want to give $1500 to help with a new fence, that won't cover anything toward it. Have they priced fencing out? Do they know how much is needed?
Just leave it alone as a pedestrian hill for those of us that like the quiet of nature at it's best. That would keep the golfers happy & the nature lovers too.
I'm just wondering is who is going to upkeep the road & fencing? The city doesn't need anymore to tend to. They have a hard time handling what they have now.
I don't know about a splash pad either, but up to $15k for research???? Seems like a lot to me.
Apr 26, 2008 at 12:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
I agree with skh820 in that splash pads do not replace a pool.
I also feel it would be a shame not to rebuild Riverside Park to being a park that offers something for everyone of all ages.
Apr 26, 2008 at 12:30 p.m.
Suggest removal
gwendt- lions was closed a couplpe timeslast year because of algae/baterial high levels
Apr 26, 2008 at 11:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
Instead of spending 10 to 15,000 on a study why not put that money to use in the park. The city and county like to spend our money on studing the obvious. The park is aready there and it is the "The City of Parks" Fix it! The city should have never let the park get this bad. They spend money to mow and maintain little fields they call parks that the public never uses. These little so called parks should be sold and the moneys diverted to the remainder of the park system.
Apr 26, 2008 at 10:59 a.m.
Suggest removal
why would anyone want to swim in the river down there? the whole shoreline through the park is mudd and loaded with catfish. I don't understand why they can't open the wading pool. and get them artesion wells going again too.,
Apr 26, 2008 at 10:47 a.m.
Suggest removal
Let's find out exactly what it would cost to open the pool. It is my understanding that the cost to repoen the present pool would be ($25,000-50,000) That would be a small amount in the aquatic budget. Riverside Park needs that pool reopened. Palmer is way too crowded. Splash pads do not replace a pool.
Apr 26, 2008 at 10:42 a.m.
Suggest removal
btw, why was Lions Beach closed?
Apr 26, 2008 at 8:33 a.m.
Suggest removal
There's no way in hell the city would put in a public beach on the river. The Rock River isn't fit to swim in.
Apr 26, 2008 at 12:55 a.m.
Suggest removal
Ok if were not gonna open the wadeing pool why not turn some of the river front into a public beach you can do that for a fraction of the cost for the price of fixing the wadeing pool.
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