A ribbon-cutting and grand opening were held on May 23 for the long-awaited Splashpad in Dade City.
And the more than 50 youngsters who were able to use it for the first time seemed like they couldn’t have been happier.
The Splashpad and accompanying community playground are on approximately 2.23 acres at the intersection of Church Avenue and 10th Street near downtown Dade City.
The Rev. Brian Butler, pastor of St. John Missionary Baptist Church, offered a prayer at the beginning of the ceremony. He thanked the Lord for the Splashpad and asked that angels be dispatched “so this will become a special place to be enjoyed for generations to come.”
“It is my honor to welcome each and every one of you to our new Splashpad and community playground! Our City Commission has been committed to making this a reality, and we are so excited to open these new features in time for summer
vacation,” City Manager Leslie Porter said enthusiastically prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“I would like to thank our honorable guests here with us today. From the City of Dade City Commission, we have Mayor Scott Black, Mayor Pro Tem Normita Woodard, Commissioner Kristin Church, Commissioner Ann Cosentino and Commissioner James Shive.
“We also have several honorable guests joining us today including Chairman Ron Oakley from the County Commission and Andy Taylor with TECO. We are so
grateful for your participation and support of Dade City each and every day,” Porter said.
Dade City is within County Commission District 1, which Oakley represents.
“I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who has made today possible — city staff has worked hard to ensure all aspects of the Splashpad and playground are ready for you and your families to enjoy. Borregard Construction and Gulf American have worked hard to construct the new amenities for us. Thank you to Kevin Taggerty for providing sound this morning, and Joy Lynn for opening the Welcome Center and sharing all that Dade City has to offer,” Porter said.
“This is great, isn’t it?” Mayor Black asked before beginning the rest of his remarks about what he said was “a momentous occasion.”
“This is an event we have been looking forward to for many years. It was a while coming, but it was worth the wait,” Black said.
He talked briefly about some of the history of Dade City, particularly in the area where the Splashpad is located.
The clean, modern facility is directly across Church Avenue from American Legion Post 15 and a couple of blocks east of the Gray Moss Inn.
Legend has it that U.S. President Calvin Coolidge visited the Gray Moss Inn while he was in Florida to attend the opening dedication of Bok Tower in Lake Wales. Black joked that someone might occasionally see Coolidge walking down one of the sidewalks on Church Avenue, jokingly adding, “he was the first president I voted for” — Coolidge died decades before Black was born.
The Splashpad represents an investment of $1,605,000 on Dade City’s part.
Longtime Dade City resident and businessman Otto Weitzenkorn sold the property where the Splashpad is to the city for $800,000.
Weitzenkorn provided a charitable donation of a portion of the land that was valued at $368,000. Otherwise, the property would have cost Dade City $1,168,000 when the sale closed on Dec. 31, 2019.
The property was purchased through the use of money from the city’s general fund reserves.
Obtaining the property “was a tremendous acquisition for Dade City,” Commissioner Shive said, adding, “I think future generations will enjoy having this facility here.
“I want to give a shout-out to Borregard Construction. They care about this community,” Shive said, adding, “The next phase here will be an amphitheater and then there may be another phase.”
Dade City paid Borregard Construction $805,000 to build the 2,500-square-foot Splashpad, which sits within a 6,500-square-foot fenced-in area.
There are two Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restrooms adjacent to the Splashpad, not included in the price of the Splashpad itself.
Discussions by Dade City’s commissioners and city managers about having a Splashpad began about 10 years ago.
City water stored in underground tanks is used to provide the water at the Splashpad, according to Ben Borregard of Borregard Construction. The water goes through a system and is sterilized after having been dispensed on the Splashpad, making it possible to use again, according to Borregard.
“I want to give a big thank you to the city,” Borregard said, adding that city officials came together to get the Splashpad project done.
Published June 05, 2024
