Splash park considered for city park

A summer of record high temperatures — July was the hottest month ever recorded in the lower 48 states, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — makes getting wet a good choice for active kids.

City Commissioner Karen Detwiler believes a splash park would be a nice addition to Pratt's park system. Although the price of a similar water feature in Newton was $150,000, she is hopeful the feature can be funded in the budget currently under consideration.

"Ours may or may not be the same," Detwiler said of the plan she is proposing for Zerger Park, where water connections already exist for a wading pool and restrooms. The feature at Newton's Springlake Splash Park has a stylized dragon and water spraying from several locations into a shallow concrete "dish" before being filtered and recirculated.

As a result of discussion in budget work sessions, City Manager Dave Howard agreed to check on costs, according to Detwiler.

Because Zerger Park is located on U.S. Highway 54, she believes the city's "bed tax," or transient guest tax collected by hotels and motels, could be used as a funding source. The city received $276,811 in 2011, according to the Kansas Department of Administration.

As a result of an earlier story in the Tribune, Detwiler said she got a couple of dozen phone calls and was frequently stopped as she shopped in local stores or volunteered at the Red Cross Bloodmobile by people expressing support for a splash park.

She has promised to "keep asking" about the splash feature at city commission meetings until a decision is reached.