LAKE VIEW - The city of Lake View is planning to incorporate a municipal water park - called a "splash pad" - in its central business district revitalization plan.
Looking to pull Black Hawk Lake visitors to its downtown, Lake View has embarked on a $1.1 million streetscape project. One of the more distinguishing elements is something city officials are calling a splash pad.
The pad would shoot water from the ground level up from several spots in the city hall plaza in a newly created park area with lighting and a nautical theme.
Activated by the push of a button, it is intended for kids to play in by running through it - or for bicyclists and hikers from the nearby Sauk Rail Trail to use for cooling off on hot summer days.
"We were looking for something unique that would draw people to that area," said Lake View City Administrator Scott Peterson.
He added, "Mainly, though, these things are attractive to kids."
The estimated price tag on the splash pad is $100,000. Peterson said that if funding is short, the splash pad feature would be among the first dropped from the plan.
"The council response to it now is somewhat lukewarm," Peterson said
That said, it also could be added later as the city is applying for grant money connected to the development in front of city hall. Some of the grants may come in after other parts of the revitalization are completed, Peterson said.
Overall, the restoration will run on Main Street from Third Street to Fifth Street and involve major streetscaping work.
"We're going to look at this primarily as an infrastructure project," Peterson said.
The project is expected to start in the spring of 2009 and end in the fall of that year.
Lake View draws an estimated 250,000 visitors annually.
