Afton splash pad construction underway

AFTON — The splash pad has arrived.

Well, almost.

It may not look like it yet, but within a few weeks, the cleared patch of ground next to a pile of upturned dirt on the southeast corner of the Afton square will be transformed into a colorful, fountain-filled play area.

Construction on the splash pad began earlier this week, bringing the project, which has been in the works for three years, one step closer to completion.

Toni Landers, Afton city clerk, said she expects it to be complete by the end of the month.

“I don’t think it’s a real long process,” she said.

A splash pad is a concrete area with built-in fountains that spray jets of water. Unlike a pool, it does not require a lifeguard.

After the City of Afton hired Outdoor Recreation Products of Nebraska as the project’s contractor in October, cold weather pushed construction back from its projected start date in November to this spring. The splash pad must be operational by Memorial Day, or the contractor will face fines.

Landers first pitched the idea to Afton City Council in 2012.

“We got a flyer at city hall, and so we just presented the option to the city council to see if it was an interest,” Landers said.

City council approved the project in April 2012, with the hope of providing another draw for families in the park downtown.

“We knew we couldn’t afford a swimming pool,” said Mary Hill, city council member and editor of the Afton Star Enterprise, adding that the maintenance and staffing would have cost too much. “This is something that we can just have in the park.”

Since the project’s approval, the city has chipped away at the splash pad’s cost of $125,863, which has risen and fallen as modifications have been made to the project.

Afton has received $45,000 in various grants, most notably a $25,000 grant from the Dekko Foundation.

The city contributed an additional $35,000 in local option sales tax money, as well as held fundraisers to sponsor the program. Fundraisers included two Fall Festivals in October of 2013 and 2014 and the Mz. Gorgeous competition in March of 2014, in which 13 men dressed as women for a beauty pageant event and calendar photoshoot.

Individual and company donations have also added nearly $25,000.

Landers said the project is still about $8,500 short. She said the city will be covering the cost with local option sales tax money, but still hopes to raise more funds.