By JAMES BELL
Hays Post
Following a year of delays due to the pandemic, two phases of the Hays Accessible Recreation Complex, located at 33rd and Hillcrest, are nearing completion — just in time for the kids of all ages to enjoy the splash pad and new playground equipment during the waning days of summer.
"Way back in the beginning, they told me construction would only be six to nine weeks," said Sarah Meitner, Arc of the Central Plains board president. "Which now I just laugh at, because we have been building for months. ... But that's OK. Every good thing is worth the wait."
Updates have been posted to the ARC Park Facebook page, announcing the pending completion, with numerous messages of support from the community.
"It's so darn close," Meitner said.
The project was broken into three parts — the playground, the splash pad and baseball fields.
When construction began, the playground was anticipated to be completed first, with the splash pad opening later, but with construction delays, the timeline changed.
"Both are two different construction teams," Meitner said. But as they worked on the different sections she said the splash pad is now just as likely to open first.
"So we will have to see who crosses the finish line first," Meitner said. "Because they are both very close."
With the splash pad, the above-ground equipment was being finished last week.
"They saved that for the very end because they have so much attention from people wanting to come over and get on."
While the equipment for the pad is in place, Meitner said the fencing is not yet ready.
"But we don't need fencing to open, so as soon as the equipment is all in and we fire it up and it's going it's going to open," she said. "We hope that we can get people on it for the warmest days to come of summer, and it does not need to close when the pool closes. That's the other really cool thing about a splash pad is that there is no lifeguards on duty, no staff needs to be there all the time, so it can stay open through Sept., possibly into Oct. if the weather holds out."
She said they will announce the opening on facebook, but no big celebration is planned at this time.
"We are just going to open when it opens and circle back later and do a ceremonial grand opening, ribbon cutting after the fact."
The last piece of the playground to be installed was the donated turf, with crews recently starting installation.
"That's the last bit there," Meitner said, with fencing slated to be installed immediately after.
"And then signage and that's about it," Meitner said.
"We will open as soon as it is safe," she said. "As soon as all of the components are in place and it's safe for the kids, everything is cleaned up. We have had a couple of things that have needed to be fixed because just different things have happened, but once it is all ready to go the gate will open for it as well."
