Discussion at the Waterloo Park Board monthly meeting last Wednesday night revolved largely around the district’s disc golf course, various memorials at Lakeview Park and ongoing construction of the splash pad, which finally received an official name.

Waterloo Park District Superintendent Don Prater offered an update on the splash pad being built at William Zimmer Memorial Park off Rogers Street.

Prater said all the concrete had been poured and sealed, with the fence around the pad just getting started at the time of the meeting.

He also spoke positively about progress on the pad’s grading and other areas, remarking that keeping track of the complex pipework for the project is rather overwhelming.

Prater also noted that the subcontractor for the project, Ideal Construction, might step away from the splash pad for a short time to work on other projects, though he anticipates continued good progress over the next few weeks.

“I have a feeling they’re probably gonna leave this job for a while,” Prater said. “Because Ideal will be doing all of it. They’ll be installing the barn, the tractor, all the cornstalks and all that, but they’ve still got a few items that they’re waiting to put in that we have. And then I think they’re gonna come off of this job for a little while, and then they’ll come back and install the rest of the stuff.”

The park board approved two change orders for the project which had been brought up at the February meeting, including a deduction of $109,279 and an addition of $21,477 for a net deducted cost of $87,802.

The board then briefly discussed the official name for the splash pad, with Waterloo Park Board President Gina Pfund sharing a number of ideas, among them “Waterloo Community Splash Pad,” with her key thought being the broad inclusion of everyone who contributed to this project.

“It’s kind of been a community effort between the city, the park district, we’ve had donations from different people,” Pfund said.

Other board members, including commissioner Mary Gardner, echoed this sentiment. Commissioner Keith Buettner emphasized the role the city and Waterloo Director of Public Works Tim Birk have in pushing the project forward.

“The money they gave us and all the fees they wiped out, Tim taking it over,” Buettner said. “Without the city…”

“We’d still be talking about it,” Prater finished.

With a few other ideas thrown into consideration, the board ultimately decided on Waterloo Community Splash Pad.

Waterloo Park Board Vice President Michael Nolte then turned discussion to the rules for the splash pad, which had previously been talked about in February.

Nolte expressed that he had taken this prior discussion into account as far as changes to the rules, and after further talk, he agreed to look into acquiring a rules sign for the splash pad.

Another project that has received the board’s attention over the past few months is the disc golf course at Konarcik Park.

Gardner has led efforts to improve the course, particularly in regard to installing new signs marking each hole along the course.

In an effort to reduce costs for the park district, she has been pursuing sponsorships for these signs.

Gardner reported positively on her efforts at the meeting this month, saying some in the community had been helping her obtain these sponsorships, though she also noted that this project is not expected to be completed by the time the course opens in the next few weeks.

Following the meeting, Gardner shared additional information on these sponsorships with the Republic-Times.

She said roughly 10 of the sponsorship slots are still available. These five-year sponsorships cost $200 per 12-by-24 inch sign and will see the sponsor’s business name or logo on the sign at the tee box located at the beginning of each hole they sponsor.

For an additional $50, sponsors can have their logo featured on the main disc golf kiosk at the park.

Those interested in a sponsorship can email Gardner at marygardner1128@gmail.com.

The disc golf course also received attention from Waterloo resident James Perotti, who spoke at the start of the meeting.

“My wife and I just recently moved here from St. Louis,” Perotti said. “We fell in love with Waterloo. And one of the main reasons, one of the attractions, strangely enough, was the disc golf course at Konarcik. I play there a lot, and a lot of people around St. Louis, when you say ‘Konarcik Park,’ it’s the number one disc golf course around.”

Perotti noted he will be participating in a tournament at the course on April 14, further emphasizing the apparent popularity of the course among others in the area interested in the sport.

He expressed his interest in helping the park district and Prater take care of the course, pointing to how he has already worked with Prater to help clear honeysuckle at the park.

Another topic for the board was Lakeview Park and various memorials and items there.

It was noted the Daughters of the American Revolution Whiteside Station Chapter are working toward installing a marker to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States, with the city also purchasing pavers to recognize Revolutionary War patriots from the area.

Jim Trantham, an alderman for the city who serves as an ambassador for the park district, reported that two additional statues for the park’s veteran’s memorial are ready and awaiting shipment, with plans for a dedication on July 4.

The Lakeview Park discussion also turned to the many memorial benches at the park, with Prater suggesting there are already an abundance of benches present.

“We’ve got too many benches out there now,” Prater said. “It’s starting to look like a memorial to a cemetery or something, that park. We have to come up with a different solution, I think.”

He further noted the park district can’t continue installing such benches for free given the cost involved.