The splash pad in downtown Elgin’s Festival Park, open for about two weeks before it stopped working May 30, will remain out of commission until repair workers can get it going again, city officials said.
“The technology required to repair the panel or provide a substitute is a very niche job,” said Greg Hulke, superintendent of parks and facilities. “The fountain repair company was still working on the control panel repair as of this morning.”
When they are able to get the water feature functioning again, the city will make sure residents know, Elgin Assistant City Manager Karina Nava said.
“The public will be notified via the city’s website and social media once it reopens,” Nava said.
Installed in 2007, the splash pad has malfunctioned before and the Elgin City Council earmarked $1 million in the 2023 budget to replace the mechanics and control panel for the popular amenity, which attracts thousands of visitors every year, Hulke said.
The initial plan had been for the work to be done this year so the new equipment was ready for use this summer, but getting clearance for the project ran into delays because specifications had to be put together by the vendor and then approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Hulke said.
“Rather than giving up on the (2023) season and waiting until the rehab commences late summer, the city is still working on trying to get an interim fix. Staff felt it was important for people to have access to the splash pad this summer, particularly with the Lords Park Family Aquatic Center facility being closed for the season,” he said.
The city approved a $20,000 preliminary agreement with the vendor to draft design specifications, which were submitted to the state in December.
Revisions were requested by the health department in mid-January and approved March 20, but the state did not issue a permit to start the work until early April, Hulke said.
“When the city received notice of IDPH approval, staff determined there would be insufficient time, given potential unknown supply constraints and contractor availability, to complete the required work before the start of splash pad season and postponed work until late summer,” Hulke said.
Bids being solicited for the renovation work are due at 3 p.m. Friday, June 23.
“The total ($1 million) cost encompasses the entire inner workings and a new programmable logic controller system,” Hulke said.
The job involves removing all of the internal pump room fountain workings, including multiple filters, pumps, controllers, hundreds of feet of piping and pool chemical distribution systems, he said.
“All of the fountain jets in the splash pad will also be removed and replaced with new, up-to-date modular jets with parts that can be replaced, versus having to replace the whole jet, which is how it is now,” Hulke said.
Additionally, nine cartridge filters and nine pumps will be replaced with two larger sand filters and two new pumps that will keep downtime to a minimum as the filters need to be cleaned less often, he said. The programmable logic controller will be replaced with a new system and new software will include the option to perform a show, as it had in the past.
“The plan will be to close the splash pad in late August after the kids go back to school,” Hulke said. “The renovation should be completed by the end of the year, and the contractor (will) come back in the spring to start the system up.”
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
