Even amid celebration of the long-delayed barn feature’s installation at the Waterloo Community Splash Pad, discussion about the facility at last week’s Waterloo Park District meeting largely focused on a number of issues still being worked out.

As many in the community have already seen, the central barn feature at the splash pad was installed through the first week of July, with the space being reopened July 4.

Delayed all through the splash pad’s inaugural season at Zimmer Park off Rogers Street last year due to a series of design and fabrication issues, the barn helps round out the facility’s farm aesthetic and features a pair of slides and a bucket that regularly pours out water.

While park board commissioners voiced pleasure with how the space has ultimately turned out, one member of the public spoke at the start of the Wednesday evening meeting to note the barn has introduced some safety risks.

Anne Clayton began by emphasizing to the board her own appreciation for the splash pad, adding her daughter has had plenty of fun there.

Clayton also said, however, that a fall at the stairs leading into the new barn had her daughter hitting the ground hard, requiring a visit to the hospital which confirmed she sustained a concussion.

Expressing that she didn’t want the same incident to happen to other kids, she suggested padding be added to the base of the barn’s steps.

She voiced a similar need for safety measures at the base of the slides as she apparently saw at least one kid hit their head on the concrete as they were going down the slide face-first.

“I know it’s not the way it’s intended, but kids are gonna be kids, and I’m just wondering if there’s something we can do to make it slightly safer,” Clayton said.

Waterloo Alderman Jim Trantham – who serves as the park district liaison – chimed in after Clayton to say he’d received a call from a citizen who reported that his granddaughter had broken her arm at the barn’s steps after slipping.

Trantham said this grandfather, like Clayton, expressed a “kids are gonna be kids” sentiment and is pleased with the splash pad while also wanting to keep the space safe.

Waterloo Park District Board President Mary Gardner offered a response, noting the board had conducted a safety meeting prior to its regular meeting during which it had decided to add mats at the end of the slides given some similar feedback received via social media.

In his report, Park District Superintendent Don Prater said he had access to some heavy, non-slip mats that should work, and those mats have since been placed at the slides and stairs.

Along with the installation of a footbridge at Konarcik Park, handling several fallen trees and bemoaning the delivery delay for a John Deere tractor, much of the rest of Prater’s report was further focused on the splash pad.

He spoke about one closure on June 18 due to a blocked line as well as the fact that the splash pad seems to be consuming much more acid than expected, likely requiring a larger tank to be installed for next season.

The board approved his request to contract Murphy Company for the facility’s winterization again at just under $3,500.

Though dealing with plenty of hurdles as he and his staff have been handling the splash pad for the second season, Prater did add it’s been a nice addition to the community.

“The splash pad’s been a little challenging, but man it’s worth every bit of it to see them little kids having fun, so everything’s cool as far as I’m concerned,” Prater said.

Splash pad talk continued later on as the board discussed a new resolution regarding food vendors – namely food trucks and an ice cream truck in specific – to be allowed at the splash pad.

Park District Attorney Paul Schimpf said district ordinance prohibits using park property for commercial use, though the board is allowed to establish special permissions.

Discussion briefly touched on whether or not trucks should be allowed to simply set up shop at the splash pad parking lot for lengthy periods of time, though the main focus of the conversation ultimately turned to the continued issue of people eating within the splash pad.

Suggestions were made about adding tables outside the splash pad fence or having someone present – even the vendor selling food – to help enforce the rules. One commissioner recalled seeing someone eating in the splash pad right beside the sign prohibiting food.

Prater was distinctly against the idea as, even without a food truck right beside the splash pad, he and his crew have frequently had to backwash the system given all the food and other debris that can get inside , leading to some not insignificant water costs.

“I’m telling you, it’s really easy sitting here at this table and saying, ‘Oh it’d be so nice…’” Prater said. “Why don’t you get up at six o’clock in the morning for several mornings and go with me and see what we got? I’m not trying to keep them from having ice cream, but I’m telling you…”

Ultimately the board approved the resolution to allow food vendor trucks at the splash pad – while not diminishing the splash pad’s rules – on a temporary basis until the next meeting on Aug. 13.

Park District Vice President Curtis Haentzler, alongside Gardner and commissioners Scott Davis and James Perotti, voted in favor of the resolution. Commissioner Gina Pfund voted against.

Another major topic of conversation for the board was Lion’s Park as Ron Mueller and Byron Stewart with the Waterloo Lion’s Club presented about upcoming renovations they’ve been discussing for some time now.

“Last fall, our Lion’s Club had decided that we need to maybe spend some more money at Lion’s Park to help improve it,” Mueller said. “So a committee of members went out, and we almost immediately agreed unanimously that the glaring need was for better access, egress, to get down on the level down there where sports are played and where the pavilion and the restrooms are at.”

Along with the addition of steps down to that area, Mueller explained the club had originally planned to add a wheelchair ramp but ultimately decided against it as such a ramp would likely be too difficult for users to navigate or be pushed back up.

Instead, the club plans to add a blacktop road leading near the pavilion area with handicap parking.

Prater spoke about the matter, expressing skepticism about the driveway given the possibility of people misusing it.

“There’s gonna be a lot more people using the drive to go down there and park their car, or they’ll drive out on the grass after they drive around,” Prater said. “If they can drive down there to that pavilion, they’re gonna drive down whether they’re handicapped or not, and the kids are gonna use it for sure. In my opinion, it’s a bad option, but it’s a better option than we got now, because right now we don’t have anything.”

Mueller suggested folks abusing the space would likely be reported by neighbors as Lion’s Park is one of the city’s recreational areas with a substantial number of people living nearby.

The cost of the project was estimated at around $40,000, with the park district having already dedicated $15,000 toward the effort while the rest will be handled by the Lion’s Club.

Per Mueller, the renovations are set to begin as soon as possible, likely mid-fall, though landscaping could begin in September.

Earlier in the meeting, Schimpf explained to the board that it would soon be voting on an ordinance matter that simply clarifies that electricity and water at the parks is exclusively for recreational rather than commercial use.

Trantham spoke at the end of the meeting about a new memorial bench being added at William Zimmer Memorial Park to represent those first responders who have lost their lives due to illness or other manners not directly related to their duties.

The meeting closed with comments from resident Ron Shufelt, a disc golf player who praised the state of the course at Konarcik Park and also spoke about possible work he would like to be involved in to further improve the space.

“Don, you and your crew, the park looks great,” Shufelt said. “The stuff you’ve done for the course itself looks great. That bridge on three, I saw that one day and thought, ‘Oh, that’s awesome.’”