Committee views

concept of water

park for Sleepy Eye

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- A 13-member committee viewed a preliminary concept drawing of a water park in the City Council Chamber Monday night.

Tom Schafer of USAquatics of Plymouth presented several drawings of a water park that may be built in the southwest corner of town, west of Prairieview Softball Fields and south of Sleepy Eye Baseball Park.

Projected to cost about $2 million, the 400x280-foot water park would include a bath house, foot shower, two water slides that empty into a plunge pool, a lily pad walk, splash pool with six interactive features, sand volleyball court, tot sand lot, lap and diving pool with two diving boards, concession area and large shade umbrellas.

The water park would also contain two water heating, filtration and recirculation systems, a 60-vehicle parking lot and four handicapped spaces near the bath house. An 8-foot fence would encircle the park.

The drawing included room for future additions including a "lazy river" and possible spa that several committee members voiced interest in. A spa that could hold seven or eight people would cost an additional $35,000 to $40,000 because it would require separate filtration and disinfection systems.

"This park would have lots of bang for the buck," Schafer said. "All water parks are different. I drew this one up after we met last month."

The committee seemed to agree with the concept drawing.

Financing appeared to be the park's biggest hurdle.

Sleepy Eye Park and Recreation Director Daryl Bergs said the committee was a little "put off" when it learned that a professional fund-raising firm wanted $110,000 to help raise $1.5 million with volunteers still doing much of the legwork.

Sleepy Eye Mayor Jim Broich told Schafer he liked the water park drawing but said there was lots of opposition to the park, Schafer said.

"We've had some negative letters to the editor in the local newspaper," committee member Earle Stevermer said. "Is the glass of water half empty or half full?"

Schafer said the City of Tracy approved a $1.5 million voter referendum to help pay for a $1.8 million water park that included $1.33 million in contracted costs. Sponsors names will be placed on splash pool interactive devices and on other parts of the park to cover the additional costs. A professional fund-raising firm was not used in Tracy.

Schafer said a live call-in show about the water park was broadcast on Tracy's public access channel to help drum up support.

"Once people really thought about the water park, many of them changed their minds," Schafer said. "Older people started realizing how much enjoyment the water park would mean to their grandchildren and themselves. The tide really turned about the show on the public access channel. I think you can do that here too. Nobody not from your town knows your town like you do."

Schafer told the committee to get organized and create a strategy. Concept water park drawings are keys in helping sell the project.

Sleepy Eye City Councilor Harold Windschitl said he thought getting financial help from people outside the city limits would be a big plus.

Schafer said he could come up with a total price and itemized breakdown of the water park within two weeks. After that, he would work on other feasibility study data including estimated revenues, operating costs and required attendance to keep the park operating.