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Milton gets splash park designs, costs

Photo

Jerold K. Schuetz

MILTON — The Milton City Council on Tuesday got an early look at design options and a possible price tag for a proposed splash park in Goodrich Park.

Blake Thiesen, an architect for SAA Design Group, showed the city two possible designs for the splash park.

Thiesen outlined the two options and explained how SAA used public and city input for designs that draw from Milton's history and heritage.

The options range in price from $380,000 to $390,000, according to figures supplied by SAA. Those preliminary design costs are about $30,000 higher than earlier estimates by the city and planners that suggested the project could cost about $350,000.

Both design options would have operating costs of about $4,300. They include:

-- Separate splash pad areas for toddlers and older youths.

-- Ground spray fountains and overhead structures that splash or pour water.

-- Seating areas and concrete walkways.

-- A fence around the park.

-- A system that recycles water.

The splash park would be built on the southwest corner of South Goodrich Park. Designs include removing two trees and a diagonal street that links to a parking area on the east side of Parkview Drive.

Thiesen said the biggest costs are the concrete and rubber surfaces for the splash pad areas. He said that the city and designers could further discuss plans to address costs tied to the splash pads.

The council didn't move forward on choosing a design option Tuesday, and the city has yet to approve SAA to move forward with further design work or construction.

City Administrator Jerry Schuetz instead asked the council to think about the plans.

Work could start on the project sometime in 2012, but the council voted earlier this year to hold off on hard planning and construction of the park pending a $100,000 community fundraising requirement.

Schuetz said a public-private group has raised about $30,000 toward the splash park. He said a push is on for corporate and private donors and others who've committed to funding the project but haven't decided on an amount.

City officials have said the rest of the project would be paid mainly through tax increment financing.

Schuetz said he'll unveil financing options for the project in January. He said the council could opt to use up to $250,000 in TIF funds for the work.

Meanwhile, the city is seeking continued public input on the project. Schuetz said the city plans to put the two options for the splash park on the city's website, with an area of the site dedicated to community input.

"This is a fairly big expenditure for a park. If we do choose to do it, I think it's important that we do it with as much public input as possible," Schuetz said.