Rochester Parks & Rec. Dept. seeking feedback on planned splash pad, improvements at McQuillan Park
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(ABC 6 News) – The City of Rochester Parks & Recreation Department is seeking community feedback on a planned splash pad and other improvements at McQuillan Park.
Feedback is encouraged through a digital survey, which will close on Mar. 21. To take the survey, CLICK HERE.
Two virtual open house events will take place on Mar. 22 and will be held via TEAMS. The first from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. and the second from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. An in-person open house will be on Mar. 28 at Longfellow Elementary School, located at 2435 20th St. SE, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Paul Widman, Director of the Parks & Recreation Department says, “We are excited to bring this project forward. As construction comes to a close on the first splash pad at Lincolnshire Park, we will begin this work at McQuillan. This is a great example of the positive impact the park referendum is having on our ability to deliver amenities and improvements to the community.”
The McQuillan Park splash pad project will be located at the former Longfellow Elementary School site and will be the city’s second stand-alone aquatics feature of this type. The splash pad will be between 2,000 and 3,000 square feet and will contain a number of water play elements. Accompanying amenities will include accessible sidewalks, a restroom facility, benches and shade elements.
The current budget for the project is $615,000 and will be funded largely by the City of Rochester park referendum, approved by voters in 2020.
Planned splash pad on the former Longfellow Elementary School site (Credit: Rochester Parks & Rec. Department)
The City is also applying for grant funding through the State Outdoor Recreation Grant Program, which would allow an expansion of the facilities located at the former school site. Some of those potential, grant-funded offerings include basketball courts, playground equipment, a picnic shelter and ballfield.
Construction of the improvements will likely start in the spring of 2024, with the opening of the splash pad in 2025.
For more information about the project, CLICK HERE.