[Southsider2k12]

The Splash Pad is losing huge amounts of money... A note in yesterdays News Dispatch stated that the Oasis Splash Pad had taken in $14,525 in its first three months of operation. Keep in mind that the cost of water alone is over $50,000 a year. That doesn't count maintenence, personel, or anything else.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...28459134480.txt

Park Board decries acts of vandalism

By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Friday, August 6, 2010 5:10 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — Serious vandalism was found in the city’s parks for three days in a row last week, park department officials said, costing a few thousand dollars to repair.

“This is really disturbing. All of the stuff being smashed up belongs to the people of Michigan City,” Park Board member Tom Milcarek said. “We don’t know if it is being done by people here, but if it is, you are ruining things for yourself.”

On July 26, a new electrical conduit installed in the Jaycee Stage at Washington Park was found ripped from the rafters, exposing live electrical wire, Park Superintendent Jan Orlich said. That took several hours and two staff members to put back up.

“I don’t know how anyone would have gotten up there unless they shimmied up one of the poles,” Orlich said.

On July 27, staffers discovered the picnic table seats at Adams Park broken. The next day, more than $2,000 worth of damage to the men’s and women’s restrooms at Washington Park’s bathhouse was found. Three sinks were ripped from the wall and one sink was cracked in two, the plumbing was disconnected and a soap dispenser was cracked. The water had to be turned off for the repairs, Orlich said.

“Maybe we need to install cameras, although we can’t do that in the bathrooms,” she said.

Orlich also said 17 animals were turned in during the zoo’s Exotic Animal Amnesty Day this year, including three boa constrictors, a python, three African tortoises and a 6-foot long alligator.

“The animals are being kept at the zoo until they find new homes for them in other zoos,” Orlich said. “They may also keep them if there’s room. I know they already have one alligator.”

In other business:

• The light fixtures in the tiered floor lighting at Guy Foreman Bicentennial Amphitheatre need to be replaced because the gaskets were not properly fitted, Orlich said. Water was getting into them and shorting the electricity. Kaser Spraker Construction, the contractor completing the renovations there, will replace them for free because the work was not properly done, she said.

• Washington Park Zoo income is up $7,400 from the same point last year, Orlich said, with increases in admissions and concessions.

• The Oasis Splash Park has seen more than 8,500 visitors in the first three months of its operation, bringing in $14,525. A smoking ban on the property surrounding the splash park was implemented Thursday.

http://www.citybythelake.org/forums/index....c=1930&st=0

Splash park moving forward
MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Park Board approved a contract bid for sewer operations for the new Oasis Splash Park on Thursday, but tabled the awarding of additional contracts to a future meeting.

According to architect Gerry Fedorchak, recommendations for bids were asked to be suspended because the design of the park will be adjusted slightly to reduce costs.

Fedorchak said redesigning the building would save an estimated $343,000 from where the bids originally came in at.

The approved bid amount for water service to the Oasis Splash Park, in the amount of $51,450, was submitted by Woodruff & Sons Inc., of Michigan City.

Park Superintendent Jan Orlich said the planned location of the splash pad in the park would also have to be moved.

"We need to move the splash pad east by 40 feet due to sand build-up that would cause maintenance [problems]," Orlich said.

The board unanimously approved a motion for Fedorchak to remodel drawings for the park, and to submit plans to the board at a later date.

Also at the meeting on Thursday, board president Philip Latchford said contract negotiations between Michigan City Area Schools and the parks and recreation department are ongoing, and that some progress has been made. Latchford said he, Mayor Chuck Oberlie and school board President Jim Kintzele recently had a meeting to go through a contract.

The conflict has been centered on which MCAS facilities the park board can use for recreational activities, with the biggest problem being the use of Michigan City High School's Wolves Den.

[edgeywood]

The Splash Pad is losing huge amounts of money... A note in yesterdays News Dispatch stated that the Oasis Splash Pad had taken in $14,525 in its first three months of operation. Keep in mind that the cost of water alone is over $50,000 a year. That doesn't count maintenence, personel, or anything else.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...28459134480.txt

[/b]

http://www.citybythelake.org/forums/index....c=1930&st=0

I think the $50K figure was the price to bring the water service to the Splash Pad. Woodruff doesn't supply water, that would be the Water Department.

However, I have no doubt that this is a loser in terms of revenue for the Park Department.

[Tim]

Did I read that right? Now after all this they have to move it? That's not like moving a picnic table, is it?

What a freaking mess.

[Ang]

That is from an older thread at CBTL, SS'der posted it for comparison to what's happening now.

[MCRogers1974]

Isn't the entire park department designed to be a "money loser"? The skate park is a "money loser" collecting zero funds, Gardena Playground is a "money loser" etc; etc.