The Colony's Community Development Corporation, whose fund carries most of the city's big park projects, will decide Thursday whether to hire a contractor to build a new splash pad at the city's Aquatic Park, at a cost of up to $1,947,322.74.
The Community Development Corporation meets at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at City Hall, 6053 Main St. Its agenda lists a resolution authorizing the city manager to sign a construction contract for the splash pad through the BuyBoard cooperative purchasing program. No staff report was posted with the agenda as of Friday, so the design, size and construction schedule are not yet public.
The price is well above what the city had penciled in. The capital plan in The Colony's final proposed 2026-27 budget listed an $821,425 "Splash Pad Replacement" in the Community Development Fund, with the money scheduled for fiscal 2028 rather than this year. The agenda does not explain the difference.
The Aquatic Park, at 4691 N. Colony Blvd., is a city-owned facility with a heated indoor pool, an outdoor leisure lagoon, a shaded wading pool and an interactive splash zone for preschoolers, according to the city's website. The same capital plan sets aside $120,000 this year and $1.38 million next year to renovate the park's office.
Hearing on other spending
Before the contract vote, the board holds a public hearing required under the state law governing Type B development corporations, taking comments on proposed projects in three groups:
- operations, including paying off the recreation center building, setting aside funds and the corporation's 2026-27 budget
- upgrades to parks maintenance vehicles and equipment
- park improvements under the recreation center's outdoor master plan
