City breaks ground on $8.8 million water park, Osage Centre improvements

Early work on the crown jewel of a $20 million program of Cape Girardeau park facilities work, a 151,000-square-foot water park on the grounds of the Osage Community Centre, will begin in the next few weeks.

City officials gathered at a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday morning at the Osage Community Centre for both the Family Aquatic Center and the Osage Community Centre expansion project, which consists of a large meeting room addition, expanded fitness area, walking track and renovated offices.

Funded by a sales tax approved in April 2008 to fund park improvements, day-to-day park operations and storm-water controls for the city, the aquatic center is the "focal point, the anchor" of the program, said Mayor Jay Knudtson.

For years, staff at the Parks and Recreation Department were frustrated with a lack of funding to accomplish any of their projects, said Parks and Recreation Advisory Board chairman Danny Essner.

"It was frustrating to look at other nearby communities who were doing things we wanted to do because they had a parks tax," Essner said.

Essner said the grassroots effort to get the sales tax passed came about because of support from the community and assistance from the city council on the process of getting the initiative on the ballot. The sales tax took effect in October.

"We feel like our credibility is at stake here -- we had a responsibility to deliver what we promised, and to deliver it quickly," Essner said.

For the grading and groundwork, the first phase of construction on the water park and the Osage renovations, the city has accepted a bid of $818,450 from Jokerst Paving and Contracting of Festus, Mo. The company will likely start work within the next few weeks, said Dan Muser, Parks and Recreation director.

The estimated cost of both projects is $8,775,000, and no bids have been accepted yet for the actual construction work, phase two of the projects, Muser said.

The aquatic center should be finished for a "soft opening" by next March or April, and officially open by May 2010, said recreation division manager Penny Williams.

The parks board hasn't determined the cost of admission for the aquatic center, Williams said.

"I can assure you it will be comparable to others in the area," she said.

Plans for the water park include a play pool designed for children 8 years and under, a 700-foot lazy river with waterfall plunge pool, an open slide and an enclosed "tube" slide, a six-lane fitness pool, leisure swirl pool and concessions.

The Osage Community Centre opened in 1997, built with funds from the hotel and restaurant tax. The first floor event hosted there was the May 1997 Parks and Recreation spring garage sale. The largest event ever held at the Osage Community Centre was the 2001 state Harley Owners Group rally, which drew about 3,000 people.

Other major parks projects that will begin this year include new irrigation systems and other work at the Jaycee Municipal Golf course, a new community center near the Shawnee Sports Complex and renovations to the Arena Building.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

388-3632

http://www.cityofcapegirardeau.org/

Pertinent address:

1625 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO