Work could resume on Carbondale's Super Splash Park by the end of the calendar year.
The project has been on hold since March because of the state's budget impasse. But, Carbondale Park District executive director Kathy Renfro says the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has informed her that it will honor all expenses for the Splash Park though March of this year.
Renfro says that covers $2.2 million of the $2.5 million dollar IDNR grant from 2011. She says now they're holding a public meeting next week to get the public's input on how to raise the remaining $300,000 to finish the project.
"The community has gotten us to where we are today through creative solutions, through brainstorming, through a lot of generosity, and now through a lot of patience. It's been a long road, but we're almost there. So, we do ask you to join us Tuesday night and help the Carbondale Park District Board of Commissioners guide us to completion of this project."
Make A Splash Citizens Advisory Committee chair Sally Wright says she's confident the aquatics center will be open in 2016.
"Just a year later, but if you think about how long we've not had a pool, it's been forever. So, to see we're this far along, there is in no way I think a possibility that we would stop. We're just going to have to continue to be creative to get to the end game, which will just be the beginning of a new chapter for Carbondale really."
Renfro says she hopes construction of the splash park will resume before the end of 2015. She says there are around 70 days of work to complete the new facility and have it ready to open for Memorial Day weekend 2016.
The public meeting on raising the remaining funds to finish the project will be Tuesday, November 17 at 6 p.m. at the Carbondale Civic Center.
