As construction for the Waterloo Community Splash Pad approaches its June deadline, the Waterloo Park Board’s April meeting touched on both good progress and some hiccups on the project as well as other items like a graduation ceremony at Konarcik Park and a new budget for the coming fiscal year.

Regarding splash pad reports provided late in the meeting, Waterloo Park District Superintendent Don Prater said there have been some recent difficulties in construction of the parking lot, though he spoke positively about the site’s drainage.

Prater also spoke about some difficulties concerning Rain Drop Products, the company the park district is working with chiefly for procuring various amenities and features for the splash pad such as the pig and bull fixtures installed last month.

In his communications with the company, Prater said he had heard that the several cornstalks as well as the barn – the largest water-spraying fixture for the ag-themed splash pad – are experiencing delays, though Rain Drop has offered to supply a dew drop – an umbrella-like feature – as a temporary stand-in for the barn in case it cannot be provided on time.

“At least it sounds like they are trying to cooperate with us enough to make sure that we can have an opening on time,” Prater said. “It may not be exactly what we had planned, but it is acceptable to get us open.”

Waterloo Park Board Vice President Michael Nolte added to Prater’s comments in his own report, saying he had heard the barn could be delivered sometime after Memorial Day.

Nolte also spoke about his efforts toward getting a rules sign and larger park sign for the splash pad, with the board approving the purchase of a double-sided rules sign to be placed on the pad’s fence.

On the topic of signage, Waterloo Park Board President Gina Pfund reported earlier in the meeting that plaques ordered for the splash pad are set to be delivered in the next few weeks.

The board approved two ordinances, the first being the budget and appropriations ordinance for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2024 and ending April 30, 2025.

Expected total expenses for the year stand at $721,458 while expected appropriations are $826,900.

The second ordinance concerned various additions and changes to the rules for Waterloo parks as well as the splash pad and dog park at Lakeview Park.

A resolution was also approved by the board concerning establishment of a nonprofit foundation.

It was noted this resolution would simply allow the process of forming such an organization to begin.

Following the meeting, Pfund said the idea of a nonprofit in support of the park district had come up previously as it would allow residents to donate to support the district with a tax write-off like any other 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

She noted how the district had previously been unable to secure a considerable donation from the William Zimmer Family Fund for the splash pad, though the fund has more recently supported Waterloo Citizens for a Pool as the organization is procuring furniture for the project.

“This is just the first step,” Pfund said. “The process, from what I understand, takes a while. We’re just following through on some things that have been discussed in the past. Just trying to make things happen to take the park district into a better place financially in the future.”

The board also heard from two members of the public, one of whom was Catrina Dell, who was joined by a friend to speak on the possibility of reserving the football field at Konarcik Park to serve as a space for a parent-sponsored graduation ceremony for Waterloo Junior High School students.

“We both have eighth graders at Waterloo Junior High, and we wish there was a graduation for them,” Dell said. “We decided to throw our own. Originally, we just rented a pavilion at the park because it was just going to be our kids and their friends. Since then, it’s turned out there’s a lot of eighth grade parents who want to see their kids graduate. We have a lot of interest, a lot of kids wanting to be part of it.”

As Dell explained, the group, with a seemingly ever-growing ceremony, planned to reserve two pavilions, celebrating there after the ceremony on the football field was over.

Prater expressed his concern about hosting the event on the football field as it requires a great deal of rest to grow and recover outside of football season.

He instead offered that the group use the outfield of the baseball field which would be closer to two of the pavilions. Dell was positive about this change.

The board also heard from James Perotti, who spoke at last month’s meeting to commend the city’s parks and, specifically, the Konarcik Park disc golf course.

Perotti again praised the state of Waterloo’s parks and also touched on changes for the disc golf course’s signs, suggesting a sign simply notifying people of the course be installed.

He also asked about the possibility of petitioning for another disc golf course in the community, and Waterloo Park Board Commissioner Mary Gardner said she would speak with him to discuss the idea.

Gardner also spoke about the disc golf course later in the meeting, reporting she had received several additional sponsorships for the new signs she is working toward installing at the course’s holes.

Another larger discussion item the board heard concerned the lack of soap in the bathrooms specifically at Lakeview Park. The matter was brought to the board by Alan Mitan.

Prater spoke about the situation, saying the installed soap dispensers always wind up broken and vandalized while any bottled soap disappears from the bathroom very quickly.

He further said that those who reserve a pavilion at the bathrooms largely wind up bringing their own soap or hand sanitizer for their event.

“We’ve been over this a million times,” Prater said. “We put those soap dispensers in the bathrooms, and they just tear them off the wall or hit them and break them. The biggest thing that they do is break the lever or pull them off the wall… It’s a no-win situation.”

When invited to speak, Mitan advised the board to look into the Equitable Restrooms Act before deciding against the installation of new soap dispensers.

One other topic of potential vandalism came up during the meeting as it was noted the portable toilet at the skate park had been slightly damaged with the roof slightly caved in, though Prater said it was a rather simple fix to push it back into place.

The board decided to move the toilet away from the bathroom structure.