The park known for its soccer fields will get a makeover in the upcoming months.
The Mahomet Parks and Recreation Department has the green light, and most of the funds, to finish a project that began in 2018 when they received an OSLAD grant to develop an amphitheater, playground, splash pad, and additional multi-use pathways at Barber Park.
Phase I of the project is expected to be completed in June 2022.
The Village also secured a playground grant through the Illinois Park and Recreation Association/Game Time in the amount that provided a 50% discount ($76,822.45) toward the purchase of equipment.
In October, the Village Board approved $43,125.00 for playground equipment installation and $96,590.84 for playground surfacing to Gametime, c/o Cunningham Recreation.
The beige and spring green playground will include three slides, climbing apparatus, and imaginative components. It will also be ADA compliant with access points for all children to participate, and a swing that will allow children with disabilities to play with their peers.
During the same meeting, the Village Board approved $185,353.98 for splash pad equipment to Waterplay Solutions and $169,900 for splash pad equipment installation services to Duce Construction Company.
The rest of the funds for the project have been raised through local donors. While MPRD Director Dan Waldinger said he is “thrilled” with the generous gifts given towards the project, the last bit, about $25,000, is still needed to finish. Donations can be made at https://givebutter.com/barber.
Until Phase II of the project is completed Village of Mahomet taxpayers will foot the bill for water usage in the splash pad through the funds allocated to the MPRD. While MPRD falls under the umbrella of the Village of Mahomet, water usage is metered.
MPRD decided to go with a flow-through splash pad model instead of a recycled model, hoping to save taxpayer money up-front. The recycled-water system also has additional regulations for holding tanks, chemicals, and bathhouses that the Village was hesitant to take on.
Waldinger said that the splash pad design will feature three zones that will be regulated by timers and activated by the user.
The Village plans to apply for another OSLAD grant in 2022 for Phase II, which will include a holding tank to reuse the water from the splash pad in an irrigation system that will be beneath raised soccer fields.
