Sartell Officials Back at the Drawing Board For Watab Park Pool

SARTELL -- Decisions on a new water feature at Watab Park have slowed and Sartell officials are leaning on resident feedback to help move the project forward.

The wading pool at the park has been "band-aided" together for several years and is at the point where it needs to be replaced to meet ADA requirements.

Mayor Ryan Fitzthum says they originally had a decision finalized months ago, however plans fell through.

Unfortunately, we had a company give us a price on it within our budget and that company is not able to do the work. We are finding the budget we had wasn't accurate so we may be starting from ground zero again on it.

Fitzthem says there is a strong desire for aquatic amenities in Sartell and city officials want something that children and parents will both enjoy.

There is a desire from older kids and families that we have a deeper pool or more aquatic features. There is a larger conversation that needs to take place, and is taking place, community wide of what it looks like and how do we fund it.

At this moment the council is looking at either a splash pad or new wading pool with play features roughly in the $200,000 range.

Fitzthum says before making a decision they will be seeking community input, similar to what they did with the new playground equipment at the park. He says they hope to get some designs out by the summer.

The pool project is one of several improvement to the park including building the new shelter last summer and installing new playground equipment this summer.