Dover Park splash pad faces delays

DOVER — Ground was broken on Dover Park’s splash pad in June 2023, with an estimated completion date of Memorial Day of this year.

But, nearly a month-and-a-half after that deadline, there’s still work to be done at the site.

According to assistant city manager Sharon Duca, the project has encountered delays due to supply issues and other types of conflicts.

While she didn’t mention specific problems, one example could be a sewer drain being placed too close to where a water line was planned, said Kay Sass, Dover’s public affairs coordinator. These concerns led to a redesign of the facility.

The splash pad’s new estimated finish is the fall, and a revised construction schedule will be created once the design issues are resolved, Ms. Duca said.

She also noted that the delays could change the plan’s equipment orders, which could increase its cost, originally estimated at $2.07 million.

The splash pad will be situated at the north end of the White Oak Road park, but the location is still a dirt lot, albeit with construction equipment and large pipes nearby.

There’s also a nearly finished building at the site, which Ms. Duca said will hold the mechanical components of the splash pad, restrooms and a meeting room for Parks & Recreation use.

Ms. Sass said the splash pad is a long time coming.

“It will be owned by the city and really was a desire of the City to have something for the purposes of entertaining the youth, and having something fun to help cool them down with a water-based activity during warmer months,” she noted in an email. “A splash pad is a great way to provide that at a lesser cost than public pools.”

She added that a 2011 survey showed a lot of interest in equipment of this type, and its location will be in walking distance of several neighborhoods on the east side of U.S. 13.

There are no other public pools or water structures in Dover, but the YMCA, the Maple Dale Country Club and several other facilities offer memberships for their outdoor pools.