City Considering Splash Pad for Park

MIAMISBURG — City officials say building a splash pad in a downtown Miamisburg park near the Great Miami River would expand entertainment options and help attract people to the city.

A proposal to add an interactive water feature to Riverfront Park would provide families with more choices when frequenting the downtown area, said Miamis-burg City Manager Keith Johnson.

"When you go down to the park now, for adults there's plenty of things to do," he said. "Either you're going down to listen to music or you're going down there with your pet, or you're going down to sit and have something eat down there. With kids, it's pretty limited."

The 10-acre park hosts more than 60 events a year. The focus of a $10 million master plan approved three years ago, it is a key element to downtown Miamisburg's redevelopment and a priority for the city's strategic plan. A splash pad would add another attraction, according to the city.

".... It just adds to the overall downtown experience. Kids have something to do," Johnson said. "It's certainly something in hot weather to go plan on. The elements we designed for the park kind of provided a cross-section of things for people of all age groups."

The Miamisburg City Council is scheduled to consider legislation on the issue tonight. If approved, which Johnson said is expected next month, the measure would allow the city to contract with a firm - Landscape Structures - to build the splash pad just inside the park's main entrance.

The Miamisburg Rotary Club has agreed to donate $50,000 for the project. The legislation would authorize Johnson to spend no more than $220,000 on the contract, city records show.

If approved, the goal is to have the splash pad completed by late May or early June, Johnson said. That is also the time frame officials hope to have a project estimated to cost $1.5 million to improve access to the park.

Miamisburg is spending city money to fund a two-lane road to replace North Miami Avenue and accompanying utility work.

The new road will span about 1,000 feet between Linden Avenue and Ferry Street, according to the city. It will include two 11-foot lanes, gutters and sidewalks, a new feature for that area, City Engineer Bob Stanley has said.

Completion of those projects by late spring would be in time for the city's week-long bicentennial celebration June 16-24, when Riverfront Park will be the focal point of daily entertainment.

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