This story originally ran in the June 9 issue of the Community Voice. For your own subscription, call 270-384-9454.
The Columbia City Council voted in a special called meeting Friday afternoon to give Mayor Pam Hoots authority to advertise for the installation of a splash pad at the city park on Fairgrounds Street.
“We originally started working on the splash pad two-and- one-half to three years ago,” Hoots said after the meeting. “It is being funded partially with a land and water conservation grant. The park on Fairgrounds Street was originally done with a land and water conservation grant.”
The expected total cost of the splash pad project is $180,000.
“A lot of people have come to us asking about putting in a splash pad,” Hoots said. “Pools are very expensive, so this was a good option for our community, and I am glad it is coming to fruition because we have been working on it for a long time.”
The pad is going to be 2,400 square feet with 12 water features. Once the bids happen, it takes 45 days to two months to get all the permits through the process. Then they can start with construction work.
The council also gave Mayor Hoots approval to apply for a Safe Streets and Roads for All Grant.
“It is a great grant that just became available,” the mayor said. “We can apply for anything relative to safety of roads and streets. It is a 3- to 5-year project. We want to develop a committee to work on the plan, and I really think it will be a great deal for the city.”
Mayor Hoots said the grant is the same type of grant used some time ago when the city did a similar project in front of Lindsey Wilson College. It is, she said, a one-time thing.
“This is a safety grant for communities to become pedestrian friendly and sidewalk friendly,” Mayor Hoots said. “I would like to help the people on Jamestown hill, but we have also had comments about a possible sidewalk on Tutt Street. We’ve also thought about running a sidewalk from Dairy Queen out to the Little League Park. A lot of the Lindsey Wilson kids run to out there and this would make it safer for them. Everyone has been so supportive of sidewalks in the area.”
