Construction of a new splash pad at ABC Park in Drayton is expected to get underway soon, after township council agreed to provide about $31,000 needed to complete the project.
Mapleton council held a special meeting with members of the Mapleton Splash Pad Committee on May 15 to discuss project finances and the committee’s request for funds to assist with hooking up the pad to utilities.
Splash pad committee members Erica Klaassen and Lorrie Spaling asked council to assist with the costs of running water and electrical services from the road to the splash pad during a project update on March 27.
At the time, public works director Sam Mattina said the committee and township staff were getting prices for the work, which Mattina estimated at between $15,000 and $20,000. Council directed staff to investigate the cost of the work and report back.
On May 8 Mattina reported two quotations were received for the project, with the lowest coming in at $31,060 and the higher quote at $36,255. Council deferred a recommendation to accept the quotation and then set a special meeting for May 15 to meet with the committee.
At the meeting, committee members explained they had just over $255,000 available for the project, from a combination of committee funds ($77,201), contributions from the local Rotary ($13,512) and Kinette ($2,908) clubs, a contribution from the 2016 International Plowing Match RV and entertainment committees ($2,000 total), township 50/50 contributions ($9,400) and a $150,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Current project estimates supplied by the committee indicate about $233,000 in anticipated expenses, plus an additional $10,000 in costs for path paving, landscaping and contingencies, plus $10,000 for electrical hook up and permit costs, in addition to the $31,000 for water servicing.
Mayor Neil Driscoll projected the total cost of the project will be about $286,000.
“And you have $255 (thousand),” he said. “If everything stopped today you’d have a shortfall of $31,600, which is the same as the water hookup.”
Councillor Lori Woodham pointed out council initially agreed to pay only for operating costs of the facility.
“What I recall is when this was first presented to us … fundraising would be done by all of the committees and that … we, Mapleton Township, would be in charge then going forward for the operation costs,” she said.
“You would do all of the capital. So that’s where I’m not sure if this, the hookup, is operating or capital?”
Driscoll asked committee members to clarify if they were asking council to fund the hookup fees or if they planned to fundraise the amount in the future.
“I’ve got to be honest, over the past five years the fundraising ideas are dried up. They’re tapped out. We’re done,” said Spaling, who suggested some of the planned features would have to be cut from the project if the municipality couldn’t fund the shortfall.
Councillor Marlene Ottens said she was not in favour of using stone dust, rather than paving for a path due to safety and accessibility concerns.
“I appreciate fundraising fatigue and the community can only fundraise for a project for so long until it’s like, ‘are you still doing that?’” said Ottens.
“You guys have put in so much time and we appreciate it so much; I can’t imagine now many hours your committee has put in.”
Spaling replied, “But it’s worth it to see the kids happy and to enhance our community too. I think it’s such a worthwhile project. That’s why we have been so diligent.”
Noting $30,000 would represent roughly a one per cent municipal tax increase, Mayor Neil Driscoll pointed out there is $80,000 “already collected” available in a Parks and Recreation reserve fund.
“It’s in the reserve, it’s there for parks and rec projects,” Mattina confirmed.
“What’s it for if not something like this?” asked Ottens.
“I just struggle with how we’ve gotten here … To get to this $286,000 and still have a budgetary shortfall,” said councillor Michael Martin, who noted initial estimates placed the cost of a splash pad at around $150,000.
Committee members observed the initial figure was based on “Googling” and more comprehensive research later placed the project at around $250,000.
“I don’t like the idea of raiding our reserve funds at all, but I don’t know how we get around that and still get this splash pad running for the summer,” said Martin.
Following the discussion, council passed a resolution deferred from the May 8 meeting to accept the quotation for servicing.
The resolution passed unopposed.
Mayor Driscoll thanked committee members, Rotarians and Kinettes for their efforts.
“Oh behalf of Mapleton township, thank you for the hard work and not giving up,” he said.
“It’s great to see a project like this go ahead. Thanks for all your hard work, because without groups like you, we can’t do this as council by ourselves … I hope it’s a great day on opening day.”
Work on the project is anticipated to begin at the end of May with a goal of completion early in July.
