Image, Argusleader.com
Notice the PUBLICLY FUNDED spray park is only a few feet from a private hotel. I am assuming it is sitting in front of one of the restaurants, so the diners can view the park. There is a patio door just to the right on the image. This has been my biggest contention with this spray park, it is virtually sitting on private property, and not any old business, a very successful hotel chain. Seriously!? Why should the public pay for this? I think a better option would be a partnership. Tax payers pay for the park and maintenance (parts, mechanical replacement, etc) and have the hotel pay for the energy, operation and water purification costs. Remember, this park is not sitting by the bike trail, you literally have to walk up a ramp to get to it from the bike trail. It is actually more easily accessible from the hotel then from the bike trail.
When I was recently in Ft. Collins they had a spray park like this that was identical in scope and size. It was sitting on a public right away boardwalk in front of a publicly funded art museum in the middle of DT. Wouldn’t something like this be awesome in front of the Pavilion or at Falls Park? Why would we put a public spray park only a couple of feet from a privately owned hotel? Is this blatant corporate welfare? Why should I have to pay to entertain guests at a privately owned hotel?
I did hear a funny comment about the spray park and it’s close proximity to the hotel restaurant, this person said; “What a sight it will be enjoying your morning breakfast and looking out at the spray park watching the homeless bath.”
Well it is publicly funded, so what’s stopping them from doing it?