DREAMING OF WATER
By Bob Miller ~ Southeast Missourian
Sure, it's a grassy field now, but it is a field of dreams for Cape Girardeau city leaders.
Right behind the Osage Community Centre, at the city's northwest entrance, they can see children splashing in a lazy river, toddlers wading in the kiddie pool, obnoxious boys putting their energy to a positive use -- sliding down one of the four huge water slides.
They see the adults relaxing under sun umbrellas and the minivans in the parking lot. They see dollar signs, knowing that after these families have fun, they will eat and shop.
If they build it, they will come.
The only question is, will voters support it?
The Cape Girardeau City Council is on the verge of putting four taxes on the April ballot that would fund major needs, things like personnel raises, particularly to police officers; the replacement of several outdated vehicles and pieces of equipment; a police station addition and a new fire station. It's a decision that likely will be made at Monday's council meeting.
And then there's the aquatic center, a project that seems out of place when listed among necessities, a project that will play a key role in the future of Cape Girardeau. Some, like city manager Michael Miller, think the idea of a water park will be so popular, it will help convince a number of voters to pass all four taxes. Others say frustrated taxpayers will not support any of the tax proposals because of the water park, which many will perceive as unnecessary.
Preparing in 2000
The city of Cape Girardeau had a future facilities needs analysis study performed by Horner and Shifrin Inc. in October 2000.
In that study, the engineering firm analyzed the feasibility of an aquatics center. Their plans call for a $6.5 million structure behind the Osage Centre that would include:
An 800-by-13-foot continuous river ride.
An interactive family play pool and water playground with a sloped entry like that of a beach. It would have a maximum depth of 18 inches.
A teen/adult activity pool with slide-plunge pool, a lily-pad walk, open water and laps and a sloped entry.
A second set of water slides ending in an elevated plunge pool and waterfall into the river.
A sand play area inside the river for young children.
Concession and dining terrace.
Additional parking.
The plans were based on some input from the parks board. Mayor Jay Knudtson was parks board president at the time the committee was looking into water parks. He and several board members visited three water parks in the St. Louis area in 2001 -- one in Maryland Heights, one in Kirkwood and one in Fenton. All of them were supported by a parks and recreation sales tax.
Knudtson said all three parks had their own style, as would the one in Cape Girardeau. He said all of them had some sort of lazy river and all three contracted out companies to manage the day-to-day operations of the parks. He said there were some complaints about the Maryland Heights facility because it did not include a traditional pool.
Knudtson said Cape Girardeau's proposed water park would be similar to the ones in the St. Louis area.
The study estimates the water park would bring in about 70,000 people per summer to Cape Girardeau. A water park, completed in 2000, has drawn about 65,000 people per summer to Farmington, Mo., according to its mayor, Kevin Engler.
Voter support
But will voters support it?
Cape Girardeau resident John Clifton said he wasn't opposed to a water park, but he said he wanted the city's true necessities taken care of first.
"I'm more interested in seeing our emergency equipment coming up to par," he said.
The city has taken that position as well.
Should all four taxes -- a quarter-cent sales tax increase, a use tax for out-of-state purchases of $2,000 or more, an extension of a 10-cent property tax and a stormwater utility fee -- not pass, the city would take whatever funds it received from the taxes that did pass and take care of its top priorities first. The city would take care of its operating costs such as salaries first, followed by equipment, stormwater projects and three major projects. The water park is the last of the major projects, following the construction of a new Fire Station No. 3 and an addition and renovation to the police headquarters.
So if the voters don't vote for all four taxes, it will be some time before a water park is built. If no taxes pass, city leaders say services will have to be cut.
For Brenda Williams of Patton, Mo., that would mean continued trips to Farmington.
Williams said she took her two children to Farmington four or five times over the summer.
"I think it's nice," said Williams of the Farmington facility. "My kids have a good time. They like the slides and the lazy pool or whatever."
Williams' traveling time to Farmington is 50 minutes, just a few minutes more than her daily commute to her job in Cape Girardeau. She said she would start taking her children to a Cape Girardeau water park -- which would be "significantly bigger" than Farmington's water park, according to Mayor Jay Knudtson -- instead of spending her tax dollars in the Mineral Area. When she and her family visit Farmington's water park, she said they always eat there and almost always do some shopping.
That's one of two reasons the city council and the Citizens Finance Task Force -- a group of 12 residents appointed to look into the city's financial situation -- have given as justification for adding a non-necessary project onto a list of must-haves.
Making money on water
Knudtson said almost all water parks are self-supporting once they are built. Most of them make money. Farmington claimed a $90,000 profit this year, the town's mayor said.
But more than that, city leaders are hoping for an economic boom.
"Cape is really poised to have this attraction bring people in," Knudtson said. "The water park is not a luxury. The task force and the council view this as an actual need as far as taking Cape to the next level."
The city does not yet have dollar estimates of how much extra revenue to expect, but city manager Miller said the city will likely come up with some of those figures as it begins an education campaign for the proposed taxes and projects.
The second reason the task force and the council justify putting an aquatic center on the ballot with the other issues is because its current water facilities, particularly Capaha Pool, are wearing down.
Capaha Pool was built in 1957 and has been used every summer since. Parks and Recreation director Dan Muser has explained that the structural design of the 45-year-old facility has become compromised by corrosion in the piping system. This means the pool is vulnerable to spontaneous leaks.
The underground piping system has been replaced twice in the past six years, including last spring. A major failure of the underground piping, Muser said, is inevitable and will result in the closure of the pool. The filter system is also near the end of its functional life due to the condition of the piping.
If the water park becomes a reality, it will cost more for people to use it.
The study suggested a fee of $5, which is comparable to the rates at Farmington and other water parks in the St. Louis area. Individual and family passes could also be purchased at a discount rate.
335-6611, extension 127
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