Manhattan City Commissioners gave consensus support Tuesday night to proceeding on an interim solution proposal for the Blue Earth Water Plaza. There is an 18-inch water depth plus a flat spray area also toward the south end of the feature. The facility includes use as a wading pool and splash park.
There have been several maintenance issues that have sometimes delayed opening on time and the site was never designed to be used as a pool or splash plad. It is an open body of water and there are slip and fall hazards.
Staff wants to remove the identified hazards ranging from infilling the stream with a paver system, removing the boulders and stepping stones and replacement of laminar jets with illuminated directional jets to refinishing trench gates, jet lids and the stream border.
The cost estimate is 278,000 with construction beginning in July and being done by fall. Money would come from South End Transportation Development District funds. A proposed contract would come before the commission in June to consider approval.
The project would be in place an estimated 5-7 years.
There is a permanent concept plan suggested for the 2030-32 time frame, but it isn't final either.