PEQUOT LAKES — Donors are rallying and Pequot Lakes’ Trailside Park could be home to a long anticipated splash pad by July 4.
That’s the goal to construct the 50-diameter circle splash pad.
The idea was tossed around for more than five years until the Pequot Lakes City Council granted the go-ahead in November to build the splash pad so long as no city-levied property tax funds were used.
In February, the council accepted a quote for $130,246 from Commercial Recreation Specialists to install the turnkey splash pad that could consist of three vertical risers, 11 geysers and four safe swaps for future feature upgrades.
A fundraising committee had $153,296 for the project a week ago, with more donations coming in every week. The council agreed Tuesday, March 1, to pay the down payment, order equipment and schedule construction of the splash pad.
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Funds include $69,413 from an anonymous donation the city received in 2016 (the rest of the $100,000 donation was spent on a park study), nearly $10,000 from an ongoing fundraising campaign, an anonymous $25,000 matching donation and $49,140 in park dedication funds the council approved March 1.
So we have a lot of places in town taking a stake in this and helping us out.
Council member Cheri Seils voted against using park dedication funds, only because she first wanted the recommendation to come from the city’s park commission. Mayor Tyler Gardner agreed, but still voted to use those funds for the splash pad.
The state specifies that park dedication fees - which are fees assessed on developments in the city - must be spent to enhance the park system. Uses include land acquisition, new recreation facilities or expanded amenities. Fees can’t be used for rehabilitation or maintenance.
Jenni Gonczy, fundraising coordinator, said if enough funds are raised, the park dedication fees won’t be needed. Additional funding is being sought through a Sourcewell grant and Crow Wing Energized, and fundraising will continue through summer.
“That’s our goal was just to do as much as we can through fundraising,” Gonczy said in an interview Thursday, March 3.
To that end, activities to raise funds have included a movie night at Sunset Cinema in Jenkins, helping the Brainerd Jaycees at the Ice Fishing Extravaganza, face painting at Crosslake WinterFest, a raffle at the Bobber Bocce on Ice event in Pequot Lakes, a Dairy Queen day where the Pequot Lakes restaurant donated 20% of sales to the project, and the sale of engraved pavers that will be placed around the splash pad.
“It’s coming from all over,” Gonczy said of private donations.
There are so many people behind this thing and it’s going to be a huge benefit to our city.
Upcoming fundraising events include a vendor show and raffle from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 12, at the Jack Pine Center in Pequot Lakes; a Pequot Lakes Schools grades K-4 change wars, where the goal is to raise $150 per graduating class for each class to buy engraved pavers in the park; a March roundup at Pequot Lakes Supervalu; a sip and shop event April 9; and a community garage sale May 14 at the Cole Memorial Building.
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Paver sales continue, where people can pay from $150-$1,000 for different sized engraved dedication pavers. A $1,000-$2,500 donation is good for logo embellished park accessories; $2,500-$5,000 gets a name on the lower panel of the permanent splash pad sign; and $5,000 or more gets a name on the upper panel of the sign.
Anyone who wants to donate, buy a paver or get more information should email pequotsplashpad@gmail.com .
Gonczy said 90% of donations came in February through paver sales and as individual donations. She said $2,700 per week has been coming in through fundraising.
“So we have a lot of places in town taking a stake in this and helping us out,” Gonczy told the council March 1.
Both Gonczy and the council were pleased with the community excitement for the splash pad.
“We have the splash pad fully funded without using any taxpayer money,” council member Scott Pederson said.
“That’s how important this park is to the people of this town,” he said, noting he thinks the city will receive donated funds over what is needed by $20,000-$30,000.
He issued a giant thank you to the council, city staff, park commission and Community Action of Pequot Lakes.
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“There are so many people behind this thing and it’s going to be a huge benefit to our city,” Pederson said.
Nancy Vogt, editor, may be reached at 218-855-5877 or nancy.vogt@pineandlakes.com. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@PEJ_Nancy.
