A representative from Vortex Aquatic Structures came before the North Judson Town Council last week to provide them with a bit more information about the Splash Pad that’s being considered for Norwayne Field.
Vortex Splash Pad Expert Bill Smith talked with the council and stressed the fact that their goal is to build a feature that fits the town’s needs. To address concerns with water usage, Smith noted that play value isn’t dependent on using a lot of water.
To drive that point home, Smith said he likes to use a garden hose as an example.
Smith noted, “Basically a garden hose turned on, water coming out the end of the hose is 8 to 10 gallons of water per minute, we’ll say. I put my thumb over the end of the garden hose and now I’m spraying water clear across the room but I’m only using about a gallon to 2 gallons per minute to get much more play value and a different spray effect.”
A citizen asked how the additional water usage would impact what residents pay for water. Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe commented that utility rates are set independent from the Town’s overall water consumption so even if more water is utilized it wouldn’t have an impact on personal utility bills.
However, the Town itself will incur an additional cost for having to pump and treat the water for the splash pad in addition to treating the excess wastewater.
Another resident inquired about the kind of maintenance a feature like this requires. Smith stated that keeping the drains clean and winterizing the structure are really the two major factors involved in long-term maintenance.
Smith mentioned a number of different cities and towns that have utilized his company’s services. Council President Wendy Hoppe asked Smith if he could supply them with a list of other municipalities of a similar size who have gone through Vortex to install a splash pad. He said that wouldn’t be a problem.
Clerk-Treasurer Rowe told Smith that it’s good to know that they aren’t limited to pre-set designs and that their splash pad could be customized to fit the town’s specifications. He noted that he’ll be working to assess all the different factors that would go into this potential purchase and that it will be a lengthy process since there are a lot of areas to consider.
Though you won’t see a splash pad going up in the immediate future, there is a chance that the expenditure will be factored into the budget for 2019. The council will address this potential project more in the future as plans continue to unfold.
