By mid-July, Kewanee kids should be able to cool off in the brand-new splash pad in Liberty Park.
The splash pad, which parks director Andrew Dwyer said will be open to “children of all ages” with no charge for admission, was originally scheduled for completion in late May or early June. But wet weather in those months delayed the construction.
Dwyer said plans now are to open the facility on July 16 or 17.
Much of the work on the splash pad is either finished or nearly so. The 10 water-dripping (or dumping) stations have been in place for several weeks. Concrete work around the splash pad should be wrapped up this week, a restroom building is up, and a pavilion is to be built on a concrete slab between the splash pad and the new playground structure in the park.
There will be benches next to splash pad where parents can sit and keep an eye on their kids while they cool off in the water.
The area around the splash pad is bare earth now. It is to be hydroseeded, which involves spraying a mixture of water, grass seed, mulch and fertilizer on the area.
Dwyer said the splash pad won’t be staffed. There is a switch that users can push that will turn on the water for 15 minutes. (That length of time can be varied if park officials decide to do so.)
After the time runs out and the water shuts off, users will be able to press the switch to get the water running again.
