BUCYRUS—Mayor Jeff Reser addressed the Public Lands and Buildings Committee at the scheduled Thursday night meeting in City Council Chambers.
Mayor Reser explained that Bucyrus will receive their second payment of approximately $700,000 from the American Recovery Plan Act in the next few months.
Reser announced that the final dollars could be spent on anything normally spent by a community rather than just Covid related expenses. Reser told the committee that he had proposals for the use of the money.
Reser said that the city had looked at the possibility of adding a Splash Park adjacent to the Aumiller Park Pool. Reser provided drawings of the park and said it could be customized by the city in whatever colors they choose and with whatever animals they want to feature. Reser told the committee that the cost of the park would be about $200,000-$225,000.
The park would be open and free to the public during pool hours.
Reser then handed the presentation over to former councilman Doug Foght who addressed the committee on behalf of the Kiwanis Club.
Foght explained that the Kiwanis Club has been raising funds to be put toward a splash park for some time. He indicated that the club would not have all the money before 2023, but the Kiwanis Club would reimburse the city in full if the city paid for the project upfront.
“This gives me chills. It’s a huge day for Bucyrus. A service organization has stepped up, and this will cost us nothing in the end,” Reser said.
According to City Auditor Joyce Schiefer, the reimbursed monies would go back into the park fund. A discussion took place about renovating the bathrooms at the park or building an additional splash park at Lions Field Park.
Mayor Reser also suggested funds be used to complete the path between Aumiller Park and Unger Farms at the cost of around $130,000. He also asked the council for permission to seek bids to install a walking path along Aumiller Drive for walkers, bikers, and strollers, so they are separated from the very busy street. Reser also indicated he’d like to do some additional landscaping enhancements to the downtown area. Reser explained that these programs are important to attract residents and businesses to Bucyrus.
“We know that mental health issues are on the rise. Part of good health is getting people outside,” Reser said.
Brenton Potter thanked Doug Foght and the Kiwanis Club for their commitment to a splash park: “I wanted to thank Dane and the Kiwanis Club for this project. I’m the parent of a wheelchair-bound three-year-old. The park would be a great thing for us. We have to take her out of town for those things now,” Potter said.
Councilwoman Aaron Sharrock pushed back hard against Reser regarding the splash park. She noted that residents on Prospect Street and others are dealing with flooding and that the money could be used to deal with those issues more effectively. She said the sidewalks to Walmart remain unfinished and that it is dangerous for people to make their way to that area. She suggested that the splash park is not a necessity but simply wants. She asserted that monies should be spent on what is needed.
Reser said the sidewalk completion to Walmart is $500,000 and is not of service to a majority of the people, whereas a splash park would serve the entire community.
Sharrock disagreed, saying the community should be asked and the splash park should go forward only if the public supported it.
Reser said the park gives the community more bang for its buck and that taxi services are available to transport people toward Walmart.
Sharrock shot back by saying people are under mental health stress because they don’t have transportation and they need to be able to walk to work safely. “ We have people who need to feed their kids and be able to walk safely to do it. If they don’t have transportation, they probably don’t have money for a taxi. Let’s ask the people, and if enough of them say yes to the splash park, then we can do it,” Sharrock said.