A new splash pad water park is coming to Donner Park after unanimous approval by the Atlantic Beach City Commission.
The water park will go on a 0.6-acre site at George Street and Dutton Island Road, with completion sometime next year.
The water feature will cost $607,500 to build, including $78,000 in city funds to buy the fountains and toys.
The proposal does not include daily visits to check water quality and clean the site, which is estimated to cost less than $1,000 a month. But the city won't pay the entire bill, just a $200,000 shortfall after grants, assistant City Manager Kevin Hogencamp said.
"The commission made up for a budget shortfall by reallocating money budgeted for a mural project at Atlantic Boulevard and Mayport Road," Hogencamp said. "An overwhelming majority of residents who’ve reached out to the City Commission members on this topic, including those who spoke at last night’s meeting, support the splash pad project, even at the increased price."
Several other splash pads operate in Northeast Florida, including:
- Abess Park in East Arlington.
- Losco Park on Losco Road in Mandarin.
- Murray Hill Park on Kingsbury Street in Jacksonville.
- The Atlantic Center on Atlantic Avenue in Fernandina Beach ($3 for city residents and $5 for non-residents).
- The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, available with zoo admission.
- Jacksonville Beach's Sunshine Park on South Beach Parkway in Jacksonville Beach.
- Hanna Park's playground on Wonderwood Drive, available for $5 per car.
The proposed Atlantic Beach splash pad will be built just south of the Gail Baker Community Center, where one of two basketball courts is situated.
The city initially sought bids six months ago but heard from only one bidder. That bidder did not meet the minimum required qualifications for the work, so the $691,500 proposal was rejected, city officials said.
City staff determined that a number of factors discouraged potential bidders, including a six-month construction timeline considered too short. Plus, many contractors had numerous projects under construction and could not take on new ones, the city said.
The city opted to wait a few months and loosen the qualifications, extending the time frame for construction. It learned that ACON Construction already has a construction contract with Jacksonville that Atlantic Beach can piggyback off of.
ACON also guaranteed a maximum price of $474,000 for the splash pad, with $78,000 for the city to directly purchase the water fountains and toys. Another $55,000 would go for the equipment building, electrical and sewer service.
With a contractor available to do the job, the city manager recommended reallocating $200,000 from the budget from projects that will not be completed this year.
That was done with unanimous approval. Hogencamp said the city hopes children will begin enjoying Atlantic Beach’s first splash pad by spring 2024.
