New Spray Park proposed by Lions Club

Jason Glabik

Time Contributor

 

The Ag grounds north of Strathmore High School track could someday be home to a second water Spray Park for Strathmore if Town council supports the project.

The Strathmore Lions Club would fund the cost of construction while the Town would cover the operating costs. The club built the first spray park at Kinsmen Park.

The spray park proposed by the Lions would utilize two 1,500-gallon tanks and recycle the water while in operation. 

The current park uses $40,000 worth of water a year, based on the commercial rate charged by the Town for water, and none is recycled.

Strathmore Lions Club president Wayne Sharp and first vice president Don Geiger visited Town council on March 21 to ask why the Town is not supportive of the project. 

“Council discussed the project informally on two occasions and is supportive in principle, but not ready to proceed until their concerns have been addressed, which includes the actual operating costs,” said Dwight Stanford, Town Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)

“Initial research by administration shows that the operating costs are actually much higher than the quoted $6,000 a year, and that the water does need to be changed every so often. There is also a concern about how safe the water is going to be as there is potential for contamination from dogs, et cetera.”

The Lions began looking into the project last fall and were encouraged by Town staff to pursue a system that would use less water, Geiger said. They chose a new spray park for Strathmore because of a survey performed in 2011, in which a spray park came back as the most popular capital project the Lions could undertake, Sharp said.

In early 2012, the group learned Town council might not be interested in pursuing the project, Geiger said.

At the March 21 council meeting, council cited concerns about sanitation of the recycled water, the cost of operating the facility and land issues as reasons they are unsure about proceeding.

The proposed spray park would require a professional to monitor the system that recycles the water, which is similar to how staff maintains chemicals in a public pool.

“There’s a fair amount of maintenance,” Geiger said.

The Lions Club estimates the total annual cost to operate the park at $6,000 to $8,000, which includes the cost of water. The current park requires no one to operate, so the only cost is the water.

The land is not owned by the Town, which was a concern at the meeting, but the club is not worried about arranging for the land to be turned over to the Town if the project is approved, said Sharp. 

There is not a sewer line near the proposed spray park, which would be an issue moving forward.

Town council passed a motion to have staff research and prepare a report about the potential operating costs and sanitation of the proposed spray park.

The Lions are eager to get started on the project, and would only require some matching government grants to proceed if given the green light from the Town, according to Sharp.

The club is eager to work with the Town on the project and understands some of their concerns, he added. 

“There is no set date for the report to come to council but it is expected in the near future,” Stanford said.