The Hays Aquatic Park will include a new play area when it opens next year, but the Hays City Commission’s 3-1 approval Thursday night didn’t come without some discussion.
The $185,000 structure with 14 play features including two slides and a large bucket drop will replace a starburst water sprayer in the zero-depth entry pool. Parks director Jeff Boyle said construction of the feature will begin Aug. 21 after the pool closes, with a completion date of Dec. 21, although the vendor, RJR Enterprises, would like to finish sooner.
A new feature was proposed in January, when city officials and Hays Recreation Commission staff met to discuss how to draw more visitors to the aquatic park.
The money for the structure will come from a reserve fund of $321,558 of the original sales tax initiated to construct and maintain Hays Aquatic Park.
That concerned Vice Mayor Henry Schwaller IV, who cast the lone vote against the improvement. The 18-year-old park will at some point need more expensive maintenance, he said.
(Read more: News – The Hays Daily News)