Waterloo to build spray park
By LAUREN LONG
Finger Lakes Times
llong@fltimes.com
WATERLOO - As state health officials look for ways to make public spray park water safer, plans are progressing for a new spray park at the Community Center in Waterloo - one that will use fresh, not recycled, water.
"Ours is all potable water," said Community Center Director Mike Slywka, noting that the new state regulations expected to be released next month should have little impact on their project.
While the cause of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness at Seneca Lake State Park this summer hasn't been determined, officials said the parasite cryptosporidium was found in the tanks through which the water was circulated.
State health officials confirmed that as long as the village plans on connecting the attraction to a public water system, dispose of the water and not recycle supplies, it will not fall under the proposed regulations being developed. New or existing spray parks that recycle water or use a private water source will be required to comply.
The nine units in Waterloo's park -- ranging from an overhead cattail-shaped unit to a ground geyser-like sprayer -- will use a maximum of 18 gallons of water a minute. Slywka said more likely, it will use less than 10 gallons a minute since the sprayers are motion activated or turned on by hand.
Grading for the 1,064-square-foot cement pad will prevent pools of standing water from forming.
With $45,000 worth of equipment already delivered, the village plans to have its Department of Public Works begin construction this spring at the old Little League fields on the west side of the Community Center.
Slywka said the spray park will be built close to the building to save space for a new soccer/lacrosse field. He hopes to have the spray park completed by July for use by summer programming.
Village Administrator Gary Westfall said the project has been in the works for almost five years and is expected to cost around $75,000. Initial funding was made possible with a $25,000 donation from Seneca Meadows Landfill and $9,000 that was left over in the community center's equipment fund. The center's booster club has been working to secure additional funds, he added.
