St. Cloud Transitioning 3 Parks Into Splash Pads

The city of St. Cloud is in the process of transitioning 2 parks from wading pools to splash pads and are added a wading pool to one additional park this fall.  That according to St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis, who joined me on WJON Friday.  He says both Centennial Park and Haws Park are transitioning from having wading pools to  splash pads while 10-10 park (located in southeast St. Cloud) will be adding a splash pad.  Kleis says the money to pay for these improvements is coming from a ballot referendum question that was passed by voters in 2022.  He says splash pads don't require the hiring of staff and are easier to maintain.  Kleis explains the challenge of finding the required lifeguards needed to staff 7 wading pools in the community has been very difficult over the years.

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The only wading pools that were open in 2024 in St. Cloud were Seeberger Park and West Rotary Park.  Pantown's wading pool, near Madison Elementary, was open last summer but Kleis says it wasn't open this summer.  Hester Park also has a wading pool but Kleis says the expectation is for that to transition to a splash pad as well.  Kleis expects the wading pools at Seeberger and West Rotary parks to remain wading pools.

Kleis indicates the construction underway on Centennial Park also includes playground equipment upgrades.  He says the main reason to transition wading pools to splash pads is the cost of maintaining wading pools.

Kleis says the expectation is that the splash pads at Centennial, 10-10 and Haws parks will be ready for the public to use in 2025.  10-10 park on the southeast side of St. Cloud is also the location for the 2nd Community Outpost (COP house).

If you'd like to listen to my radio town hall conversation with Mayor Dave Klies, it is available below.