MOUNT VERNON—At their Monday council meeting, city council members accepted Ariel Corp.’s donation of $1,315,000 for a Mount Vernon splash pad in Riverside Park.
Ariel’s donation includes an additional 10-year commitment to cover maintenance costs at $15,000 a year.
The donation stipulates that the city complete the project by May 11, 2025. City Engineer Brian Ball said an unwritten stipulation requires the city to break ground by May 11, 2024.
“The design’s going to allow for parents to sit at the pavilion and see the playground and the splash pad, and also the restrooms,” Councilman Mike Miller said.
“In light of the more recent controversial things happening, to get this started I think would be a good positive.”
Miller chairs the Parks and Recreation Committee.
The city scaled back the project between $400,000 and $800,000. A pavilion and pump house replace the library building originally planned.
The city budgeted $230,546 for the splash pad. City Engineer Brian Ball said that number is plus or minus $50,000 to the all-in number.
The splash pad replaces the stone fountain at the park’s southern edge along West High Street. Ball said the fountain does not work and is unserviceable.
Plans call for a fence along West High to keep youngsters within the park.
The project includes heated family restrooms open year-round, all handicapped accessible. City personnel will have after-hours key card access.
The city will enter into two contracts: a demolition contract to relocate the fountain and a construction contract.
Ball said the city interviewed three contractors. All are prospective bidders, and all agreed to work with a completion date of May 1, 2025.
The May 1 deadline allows a few days of flexibility before reaching Ariel’s hard cut-off on May 11.
Mount Vernon splash pad theme
The Mount Vernon splash pad honors the late Hunter Wright, former president of Ariel Corp.
The city will name it Captain Hunter’s Landing, and it will feature a pirate theme.
“This is a huge step up for our parks in the city, to get something like this,” Councilman Mel Severns said. “It will be very well attended, I am sure.”
“This is in line with our master planning for the parks as well, so I think it fits,” Council Member Amber Keener said.
