By Kirsten Buys
C & G Staff Writer

FARMINGTON HILLS – Although a handful of residents begged members to do otherwise, Farmington Hills City Council voted 5-2 at its Aug. 25 meeting to move forward with plans to design a splash pad water activity area at Heritage Park.

Two years ago, council members visited the city’s parks and decided Heritage Park, 24915 Farmington Road, was the best location to construct the splash pad, which consists of various water spouts, sprays and other water features for people to cool off. Some residents expressed worry that the splash pad would be created instead of a proposed indoor aquatic center at the William M. Costick Activities Center and said that if anything, the city should leave Heritage Park as it is and build a splash pad area with the future aquatic center.

Resident Masha Silver said she would rather the money be spent to improve the city’s hiking trails and bike paths or to purchase more parkland.

“We can always build a splash park and an aquatic center together at the Costick Center,” Silver said. “I’m asking you to table this tonight, otherwise it seems like it’s a done deal. Table it. Think about it. Let’s buy some land (instead) so that we can have an adequate amount of parks.”

Dave Boyer, the city’s director of special services, explained that construction of the splash pad – similar to those in Canton and Grosse Pointe Farms – is independent of plans for an aquatic center and has been budgeted for years to be constructed.

The 5-2 vote only approved the bid for $30,1500 for Grand Rapids firm OCBA & Associates to design and project-manage the construction of the spray ground/splash pad. The full cost of the project is budgeted at roughly $400,000 for its construction, with $10,000 annually for maintenance.

Former Farmington Hills mayor and City Councilman Terry Sever asked the council members whether they had visited any area splash parks. When they shook their heads no, he said he took it up himself to do so after the council had discussed the issue about one year ago, and found that the splash pads he visited were being used very little, if at all.

“It impacted me tremendously,” Sever said. “I don’t have a problem with doing the study. I don’t have a problem with the splash park. You should not approve anything or look at any direction until you have had a chance to visit and look at them first-hand.”

Some residents and council members expressed worry that the splash pad area – which is proposed to be located near the area where the sand volleyball, picnic, playground and restrooms are located – would stick out “like a sore thumb.” Boyer and others said it would be so close to power and water lines, it made the most sense to place the splash pad there, with the condition that surfaces would either be stainless steel or created in such earth tone colors as green and brown to blend in.

“I was not in favor of it being in Heritage at first,” Council member Randy Bruce said. “It didn’t make sense anywhere else. Heritage is a very interactive park. We have a lot of stuff that goes on there. I think when you look at the use of this splash pad, it is completely consistent with what’s already happening at Heritage Park.”

Council member Cheryl Oliverio agreed.

“Heritage Park makes sense,” she said. “It’s an extension of the playground that’s already there. It’s perfect for families with young children. They can picnic, they can play on the swings.”

Boyer made clear that the money for the park was earmarked from the city’s previous parks millage expiring in 2009 and not the renewal approved by voters in August. Mayor Jerry Ellis said it would cost a considerable amount of additional money to put the splash pad in another part of the city, forcing it to extend sewer and power lines to places where they don’t currently exist.

Despite the discussion, Council members Ken Massey and the newly elected Michael Bridges voted against approving the bid to design the splash pad for Heritage Park.

“The splash pad idea is nice, but I personally don’t feel that this is the right location for it,” Massey said. “If I go with my gut reaction, I’m not completely comfortable with the nature of the park.”

After OCBA & Associates has created a design for the splash pad, City Council will consider companies for its construction.