La Grande’s new splash pad; the first set of ideas

LA GRANDE – On the evening of Thursday, September 25, the La Grande Parks and Recreation department hosted its first public meeting at Veteran’s Memorial Pool on the new La Grande Splash Pad Project. This initial meeting served as an opening discussion for the project, a chance for the public to line out their core wants and ideas, and gave interested volunteers a chance to join the project committee.

For those unfamiliar, La Grande Parks and Recreation is launching a project to develop and construct a public splash pad for the community. The idea for a new splash pad has been part of the parks master plan since its inception around 2022, though was 2nd in priority for capital improvements behind the River Side Park playground replacement. With Riverside Rebuild complete, development of the splash pad can begin.

As mentioned, the open house on September 25 served as a brainstorming session to pitch core ideas for the pad and discuss how the project should be handled. Keep in mind that details summarized in this article are based entirely on this preliminary discussion. While some ideas had a degree of consensus or were popular among attendees, the project is in its earliest stages of development, with no design elements officially confirmed or locked in at this time.

During the meeting, attendees were shown possible design templates, discussed basic elements, covered safety and upkeeps concerns, and went over how to best handle public outreach. Primary locations suggested for the pad were Candy Cane Park, Burnie Park, Benton Park, and Pioneer Park. Currently, Riverside Park, though a popular suggestion for a splash pad during the playground’s reconstruction, lacks the water capacity to handle a pad in addition to current park facilities.

Pioneer Park was the most popular option discussed by attendees due to its amenities, and the existing plumbing infrastructure provided by Veterans’ Memorial Pool. The idea was further discussed to possibly demolish the old fenced-in splash pad at the pool, and replace it with a new, larger public splash pad that would be open to park guests instead.

When it came to design elements, attendees generally discussed scale and accessibility rather than aesthetic or individual pieces of equipment at this stage. This new splash pad could range from a basic, low-profile structure to a relatively large one incorporating a unique theme and water games. The pad itself would likely be constructed out of epoxy and concrete materials, similar to the pool deck.

One aspect that most attendees emphasized is the pad should have options and space for both kids that want to play in swimwear and those that just want to take their shoes off without getting soaked. The idea would be that kids/families would use the pad as an outing but have the option to play at the park afterward. A larger pad was also preferred, especially if moving forward with Pioneer Park and taking advantage of the space already in use by the old pad. 

Other design elements suggested included some short, non-intrusive fences to help mitigate bike traffic and dogs, tables and benches installed around the edge, adding nearby traffic control like a crosswalk or speed zone sign to make it safer for kids, and ensuring that the new pad is ADA accessible. If built, the pad would likely have a timer to prevent its use after hours, and the whole system would be drained over fall and winter. 

As far as a timeline and funding were discussed, the goal, tentatively, would be to follow a similar plan to Riverside Rebuild, using a combination of local grants, individual and business donations, and fundraisers to be eligible for a 40% matching Oregon State Parks grant. Depending on project scale and the pace of fundraising, the pad could be completed as early as summer 2027 or extended beyond 2028, though this is speculatory based on previous experience with Riverside Rebuild. The deadline each year to apply for a matching State Parks grant is April.

When it came to outreach, though there were concerns discussed regarding social media management and handling negative rumors, attendees generally agreed that the community should be involved in the process, kids and adults alike.

The meeting concluded optimistically, though with plenty left to be discussed. Attendees were informed that they would get to serve as the La Grande Splash Pad Project Committee going forward if they chose to. For anyone that missed the recent open house, more public meetings are planned over the coming months, with more opportunities to provide feedback and volunteer for the committee.

As a reminder, details summarized in this article are exclusively based on preliminary discussion and suggestions by those who attended the open house. Elements like splash pad design, aesthetic, scale, budget, and project timeline were NOT finalized or formally agreed upon. The Splash Pad is subject to change as the project evolves.  

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