The latest Waterloo Park District Board meeting saw brief discussion on the developing splash pad project, though much of the meeting was focused on other matters like dogs at Konarcik Park and other problems and projects.

Regarding the splash pad project which has returned to the planning stages since encountering funding issues earlier this year, Waterloo Park Board Commissioner Michael Nolte offered an update following a presentation last month where he explained why a downsizing of the project seemed necessary.

Nolte said park board treasurer Julie Bradley had been able to get in touch with Rain Drop – a company supplying various features and amenities for the project – in order to get a precise overview of all items which have been purchased and delivered.

Nolte also said he had been in touch with local individuals from aquatics company Westport Pools who had expressed a willingness to assist with planning for the project – up to the point a fully redesigned blueprint is needed.

The company, according to Nolte, asked that a group be formed to discuss the redesign. Nolte said he had asked recently elected park board commissioner Mary Gardner to assist and was hoping two members of the Waterloo City Council as well as Amy Grandcolas and Alan Mitan – members of the public on the park board’s government efficiency committee – would also join.

Nolte also explained Gardner had reached out to daycare centers located around William Zimmer Memorial Park to gauge expected use of the splash pad.

It’s been noted at several prior meetings that the large scale of the original splash pad design was, at least in part, to cater to the several nearby daycares.

“Even if all of the daycares utilize the facility at the same time on the same day to the amount they thought they would use, it would still be, right now, less than a third of our bather capacity, and with the redesign it would be less than half of our capacity,” Nolte said. “I think we’re comfortable in redesigning, shrinking down to a smaller size.”

Nolte ultimately recommended the board continue discussion on the splash pad at next month’s meeting with the understanding the previously mentioned group would work with Westport Pools toward a new design.

Another substantial discussion item came from Waterloo Park District Superintendent Don Prater’s monthly report.

Amid discussion on replacing district lawn mowers and the success of the new pickleball court at Lakeview Park, Prater said a long-standing issue at Konarcik Park had recently gotten out of hand.

“People are getting to where they bring their dogs to Konarcik Park, and they think they can just turn them loose,” Prater said. “Monday I was there, and a young couple was there that had three dogs. One was a pit bull, one was a German shepherd and one was a mutt, and they were growling, but I think it was just rough-housing between the dogs, but they were running all over the place right down by the tot lot, and there was a half a dozen to a dozen little kids running around there.”

Prater also voiced concerns about dog-walkers at the park not picking up after their pets.

Discussion on the subject bounced around for several minutes, with commissioners bringing up the existence of a leash law within city limits as well as the need for dog bag dispensers like those currently present at Lakeview Park.

By the end of the discussion, it was suggested at least one such dispenser be added to the park, and park board commissioner Shelby Mathes said he would work with the city to order a new, larger sign for the park in order to make the dog-related rules more obvious and thus more easily enforceable.

Other items on the meeting agenda included Gardner’s work toward improving the significantly outdated district website and the park board’s potential desire for new handbooks and other literature from the Illinois Association of Park Districts.

Recent paint work at the skate park was commended, as was the success of an annual boomerang tournament at Konarcik Park.

A planned Lakeview Park monument for the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter was also discussed, with the new monument – a large piece of the former Alton Bridge – requiring special placement and construction so as to support its size and weight.

The subject of remote attendance closed out the meeting. 

Waterloo Park District Attorney Mary Buettner said the recent Illinois legislative session had closed with no legal changes in that area, and thus she would begin working on a policy for the board to consider adopting at a future meeting.