by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
St. Joseph Splash-Pad Coalition members Jen Warnert and Matt Killam said the coalition will discontinue future monthly meetings until results are obtained from an aquatic-feasibility study.
Warnert and Killam attended a city council meeting Oct. 2 during which a representative from USAquatics of Delano was present to present the idea of a feasibility study to be done for the city regarding a potential water amenity.
They said as a result of the council’s approval, USAquatics will work with a committee to study the city, provide information and gather public opinion.
“Matt and I want to say ‘thank you’ to every single one of you who stepped up to be a part of this coalition to better our community,” Warnert said.
Without the coalition’s help, Warnert said the progress that has been made so far would not have happened. At the coalition’s last meeting, the group discussed questions posed by the park board. She said this feasibility study will answer questions and provide more information than the committee could get on its own.
“This is the next big step towards getting a splash pad in St. Joseph,” Warnert said.
The coalition will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the LaPlayette in St. Joseph, but its members have decided to discontinue further monthly meetings until results of the study are obtained. If results of the study are not favorable, the project cannot move forward.
“All in all, we feel like this is a positive step toward getting the council the information that’s necessary for (it) to make a decision and gives us a third party to obtain that information,” Warnert said.
According to Warnert and Killam, USAquatics has been completing studies for 40 years. The total cost of the study is estimated to be under $9,500 and includes a public survey.
Splash-pad project estimates total nearly $600,000 to complete.
