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Century Awarded Grant For Splash Pad — But It Might Never Open
July 21, 2015
The Town of Century has been awarded a state grant to install a splash pad at Showalter Park, but there’s a chance the water playland will never open.
Century received the $50,000 grant from the Florida Recreation Development Assistance Program. That will fund the purchase and installation of the splash pad, but associated costs, according to Mayor Freddie McCall, may be too much for the town to bear.
The splash pad that Century can afford won’t recycle water — that feature would cost the town another $50,000 plus, McCall said. The splash pad that Century can purchase with grant money will use hundreds of gallons of water in just minutes, hitting an estimated monthly water bill of as much as $1,300. Plus all that water will have to flow somewhere, possibly requiring a Department of Environmental Protection permit, to send it to a pond or even the sewer system.
In order to meet a state deadline, the Century Town Council voted Monday night to accept the $50,000 splash pad grant. The council may decide at a future meeting to return the money if it’s decided it will cost to much to operate.
The Town of Century owns and operates its own water and sewer company.
Pictured: The Town of Century has been awarded a state grant to purchase this model splash pad. Courtesy images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
25 Responses to “Century Awarded Grant For Splash Pad — But It Might Never Open”
To CM…. Do not expect the city to entertain or babysit your children…
I guess you have never took your kids to a city or public park?
My kids are grown but I have grand kids and see this as way to get kids outside – out from behind a TV or game console…. GO for it Century.. Ignore the Nay-Sayers
Pay your water bill, get a whom o slip and slide or kahauno sprinkler, kiddie pool, make kool aid popsicles, lay on a towel and watch the clouds roll by. Do not expect the city to entertain or babysit your children. Let them play and imagine. These things are going into areas with much much more revenue than Century.
I think Dreamer has the right idea. A water park would mean jobs that Century desperately needs as well as a place to take your kids for good clean fun.
As for the commenter who says go to the creek…we used to have a lot of good places to do just that in the tricity area, but there are only a couple left and they aren’t what they used to be. Kids need a place to have fun. A water park would provide it.
Please do not raise my bill or taxes to pay to operate it. Thank you Mr McCall. Let them go to the creek or the river or run through their own lawn sprinkler or eat a cool watermelon to cool off. Or stand under the rain gutter or in the rain. I can’t afford to have my rates raised for someone else’s younguns.
I could see a full fledged water park going into business, perhaps on the old abandoned Alger Sullivan site..parking…nice new roadway heading into it. Put Century on the map as a destination, not having to go all the way into Pensacola and brave the sharks and rays and jellyfish and traffic…A private corporation to run it. Incentives free water from the river or a well. That is an abundant area resource.
It’s funny how my wife and I were talking about something like this — dreaming about it — just the other day. There are so many possibilities, especially potential expansion and benefits to other businesses. I am not sure about the following statistic, but I believe that tourism is the #1 source of revenue, particular “outside-coming-in”. And, since Century is the FIRST city in FLORIDA that most outsider’s see coming in, then the potential is enormous…..with costs, of course, which somehow, someway, we may overcome, offsetting it (and in excess) with additional revenue coming in. I think it is very possible, Lord willing.
If towns can use parking meters to charge for parking they can charge for splashing!
Put it on well water, add a charge/shut off meter. charge 25 cents for 5 minutes to pay for the water. drain the water to the ditch underground.
What about the splash pad at palafox pier downtown P’cola?
Brewton parks and rec has splash pad at Dogwood. How is that funded?
I think it is commendable that Mr. McCall has the foresight to be practical about the maintenance costs to run it. I think most of the grants available are contingent upon the municipality bearing the cost for upkeep. The state will bear the brunt for initial installation only. Even the landscaping around the Florida sign is supposed to be maintained by the city, like remulching and pruning. I agree it would be wonderful to have one and even to see it at the roadside park instead of Showwalter would be a draw. It would have to be monitored to prevent spread of waterborn diseases therefore chlorinated and filtered. It would be costly. Panama City recently put one in, perhaps they have knowledge they would share about cost to run it and how to pay for that. To me a well sounds great and to run it off to water plants but will EPA allow that.
>>>Funny how no one asks the real question………..
It’s parks & rec money…it can’t be spent on anything else. It does say “this model”, because this is the model Century could afford and chose to submit with their grant application — not because the state specified a vendor or model.
Funny how no one asks the real question………..
Why is the state of Florida giving away OUR tax dollars so that towns all over the state can buy $50,000 worth of equipment from a certain vendor ????????????
The article says “this model” so I take it “this model” is from one particular source being subsidized by OUR tax dollars.
In other news, there are now more children below the poverty level and more are hungry.
I would love to have this here locally! My two children are both small and we are expecting a third. Going to a pool is a nightmare for me unless I bring several backup and my kids love the water! They recently played at one of these when we were out of town and absolutely loved it!! The one we went to had a button the kids pressed to turn the water on. After a certain amount of time the water shot off and stayed off until someone else pushed the button. It also went through different cycles. I believe it also reused the water; it went through a filtration system I believe is what my husband said.
Come on guys how long has it been since you have built anything, cost have skyrocketed. and EPA cost of added holding pond construction etc…
This is a great opportunity, for this town, Lets Annie-up and raise the monies to do it right. This will be something future generations will use and memories for our kids. Everyone donate a few $ someone start a fund-me acct. I no longer live in Century but still Love to see it as a strong community… Have a community Fish fry, BBQ sale – Churches come together with Local clubs and “getter-done”
Someone call, Showalter, Boo weekly or Bubba Watson and ask for their support…. these are great guys looking to help their Local communities…
If Century placed a Donation Station (much like the one at the Pensacola Veterans Memorial Park) I’d definitely help them pay the Water Bill.
Nothing in life is 100% Free. Somewhere down the line there are Costs.
Its not like it would be open all year…but maybe during summer months when school is out…should not be that expensive to operate
If you want to snag some of those beach tourist dollars, I think this splash park is a great idea! Without a draw like this to snag some of that traffic, the passerby’s are unlikely to stop….and most of the people on the way to the beach, passing through Century, are on vacation, wanting to spend money. Put that tourist net right out next to Century Blvd., and watch how many people stop….and buy food, groceries, want a hotel room to rent, buy gas, etc….
This water park would be nice if it can be worked out. I know Escambia County, Florida has different rules and regulations, but maybe a committee could discuss the possibility with Bay Minette, Alabama or Brewton, Alabama who has such a park in place. We enjoy taking our grandson to the one in Bay Minette. If you know of one in Escambia County, Florida or surrounding Florida area maybe the committee could go there. The only place I know of in Florida is in Downtown Disney and Epcot and all children like those on a hot day. Hopefully, we’ll see the one in Century become a reality as the children really do need something. There is no YMCA or City Pool for them to enjoy and travel to Atmore or Brewton is a challenge for many.
Sounds like that they may have to apply for an additional grant to go with the better splash pad that recycles water. But i am with Mike doesn’t sound like such a setup should cost an additional $50,000.00 seems a bit fishy to me.
$50,000.00 would be a chunk in my coffers but does not seem like much when constructing something like this especially if it is sizeable enough to accommodate the estimated crowd of young folk that will be using it. l am pleased that it will be using a water supply directly from the water system rather than recycling water. I’m sure this will be best. As far as the run off, from Showalter Park to the old Mill Pond would be just a short distance and could probably utilize ditches now in service. I say-Go for it Century—you need something for the young folk in the hot weather and this will be a lot safer than a Public pool. Save some money and set it to operate only about Six hours per day. Say 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM with a timer. Then the park employees can come in first thing in the morning and sanitize and be ready for the day.. This is a COOL idea!
Seems unfortunate that a village would get hopes elevated without actually doing the homework first. Nobody took into account associated expenses?
Dig a well, put in a pump. Problem solved. $!0K maybe. Do not know how much the electricity would cost for the pump..
How about a motion sensor that turns it on?
Hard to believe some filters & a return pump system would cost that much. I think a swimming pool would be a better option. And with all the cooties in the creeks, etc., these days I’d rather swim in a pool with all it’s germ killing chlorine.
Splash pad looks, from the artwork above, like a lawn sprinkler for kids to play under/get wet. Water is a bit expensive for this nowadays I guess. Bummer.