New splash pad poised to open June 8

Published 11:07 am Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Children will soon have a new place to cool off and play with the anticipated June 8 unveiling of the county’s splash pad water attraction at Sportsman Lake Park.

Hanceville’s Powe General Contracting put the finishing touches on the 2,000-square-foot public splash pad last week. The attraction will feature 10-to-12 water sprays and include characters like a frog and turtle and another feature that will dump buckets of water from above.

Sprayers are motion-activated, and ground sprayers will shoot in unique patterns. All water is recycled through the system and purified, and the splash pad will be enclosed by a fence for safety. The attraction will be fully accessible to people with disabilities as well.

“It’s going to be great for the kids to come out and cool off on these hot summer days,” said Delitha Marchman, Sportsman Lake Park manager. “I think it’s going to give the park more exposure and attract people from places other than Cullman County. It also shows the county is investing in its parks.”

Last week, Randy Powe with Powe General Contracting and his crew completed their work on the splash pad while workers with J.A. Dawson Company from Birmingham finished up installing the recirculation system. Park officials tested the splash pad out on Friday.

Cullman County Parks and Recreation Director Doug Davenport said officials had hoped the splash pad would be ready to kick off summer on Memorial Day. However, the county has to finish up the sidewalks and other minor details before opening it to the public.

The splash pad’s $163,717 cost is being funded through a combination of grants, business sponsorships and county funds. The county received a $50,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund grant in October 2012 through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA). The ADECA grant requires a 50-50 match, so the county will match that with $50,000 of its money or in-kind work.

Local groups have donated $41,750 to the project, including a $25,000 Cullman County Community Development Commission (CCCDC) grant, $12,000 from Rusken Packaging in Cullman for a main water feature, $4,000 from Walmart and $750 Cullman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram to sponsor a bench.

Tiffeny Owens can be reached at towens@cullmantimes.com or 256-734-2131.