BOZEMAN — The City of Bozeman and The Trust for Public Land are collaborating to create a new splash pad in Story Mill Park.
“I think that sounds really cool. I mean, we go to Story Mill all the time. We like it a lot. So I think mixing it up and like, more things for them to do outside definitely helps,” says one Bozeman parent, Christian Garcia, about the new Splash Pad.
Garcia is apparently not the only parent who thinks bringing a splash pad to Story Mill Park is a good thing.
“We heard that we needed a splash pad and we've been looking at different parks throughout the city to find the place for one," says Park Planning and Development Manager, Addi Jadin. “Just finished a survey of the whole city as part of another project. And again, splash pads came up really high, an amenity that we need in Bozeman.”
The splash pad coming to Story Mill is designed to look like a river scene that children can experience and play in. It will be located near the front of the park by the restrooms.
Jadin says, “There's little logs and cattails and then some larger trees that the kids can play with and they'll be spraying water.”
The city and the Trust for Public Land put together a lump sum of money to help fund this project.
“The City has set aside $350,000 from the capital improvements funds and then the Trust for Public Land has worked with the private donor that's giving another $155,000,” says Jadin.
Jadin is hopeful the splash pad will be ready sooner rather than later. She is hoping that if everything goes according to plan, they think it could be done in the late season of summer. For parents like Garcia, outdoor recreation involving water seems like a great option.
“As a parent, I mean, I feel like as the summers are getting hotter and hotter. It seems like I think more outdoor cooling recreation is probably good,” says Garcia.
