The Chillicothe Park District included much more in its plans for Santa Fe Park than a water playground to the tune of $700,000 in costs if built according to plans drawn by Farnsworth Group.
About two years ago, the Chillicothe City Council allowed ownership of Santa Fe Park to transfer to the park district with plans of adding a “sprayground,” a water playground, as long as it was done within five years.
A sprayground does not operate with standing water like a pool. Park district officials wanted a free water playground for area children who cannot walk safely to Shore Acres Pool.
Additionally, the pool opens for a few months in the summer, but the sprayground can be used indefinitely.
“This is something that can be turned on in April, weather permitting, and go until October,” said Kevin Yates, Chillicothe Park District’s director of parks and recreation.
A timer keeps the water running for 10 to 15 minutes and then can be reset if children are still playing, or, if the water fun is over, the sprayground stays dry until more children want to play.
The sprayground is only one facet of the multi-seasonal-use park. A 10-to-12-foot sledding hill also is planned for the winter, as well as a seasonal ice rink.
Yates said the ice rink is a phase two possibility for the park.
Temporary rinks, he said, are created using a liner for the rink, edging and then filling or flooding the area with water. Once it freezes, the rink is ready for residents to enjoy until it thaws.
“The problem is they are very expensive for the amount of time you get to use them, maybe only three or four days of the year,” Yates said.
With new technology, the price is becoming more affordable, he added.
The ice rink would be in the baseball field or soccer area.
A three-quarter-mile trail also will encircle the park, which includes a bridge overlooking the park.
The current playground will be moved, and a smaller children’s playground for those ages 1 to 5 also is in the works.
A stone seating area offers onlookers a place to watch their kids. A railroad theme is featured throughout the park, which was originally donated to the city by the Santa Fe Railroad.
To help fund some of the renovated park, Yates said residents, businesses and groups may purchase bricks in the park. A circular area is tentatively reserved for railroad retirees.
