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By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
There will be a large 14-foot tall feature at the Nephi City splash pool if the current design holds true.
Thomas P. Anderson, President/Civil Engineer of Water Design Inc, Salt Lake City, and Mike Wagner, representing All About Play, California, the supplier of water features, met with city council members to discuss the water toys being planned for the facility.
Anderson, has owned and managed Water Design, Inc since 1997. The engineering and design firm specializes in the design of pools and water features.
"There is no formal relationship between the two individuals or their companies," said Randy McKnight, city administrator. "They are both part of the city's design team for the pool improvements."
He said that Water Design specializes in the design of the underground piping and water conditioning and delivery systems and in the construction planning for pools and water features.
"Water Odyssey manufactures the above-ground elements of splash pads and water features and will be supplying those for our project," he said.
"Several weeks ago, our staff began working with consultants as a design team for the new splash features," said McKnight.
Those staff members, Pill Baker, Clark Wood and Jalena Warner, have been meeting with the consultants since that time.
"I would like to thank the council for choosing Water Design Inc," said Anderson. "We have been meeting with your staff on the design and we first talked about a water feature that would feature a 13-foot high moose."
That possible choice had been made known to the council however, since then, it was decided that a better feature would be a 14-foot high bear in a tree.
Also being considered is a 1,300-foot area of standing water that would be shallow but would allow for younger children to splash around in the water.
"That would be a unique feature to this pool," said Anderson.
A weeping water area would be located in the center.
The old slide on the east side of he existing pool would be removed and two sets—a large tree-house slide and a winding slide—would replace it.
"The area would then transition to an area for older children and would feature a cow, horse and buffalo," said Anderson. "There would also be benches with misting located behind them."
There would also be an Eagle and barrel, geysers, three pop drops that would go off at different times and spinning buckets.
"There will be three different activators," said Anderson.
The activators can be touched to allow the water feature to begin or can be programmed to run randomly.
There will also be large stainless steel coils that will be painted to resemble barbed wire to go with the western theme.
"All of the features will have a special coating that will be sprinkled on to keep them from being slick but the coating will not be abrasive to the skin."
Anderson said there would be 15-foot high buckets and a 32-foot water pattern.
"What will happen as you put your finger, for example, on the activator?" asked Kent Park, city council member. "Will that be a possibility?"
It was, and Anderson said, that in one area as a person stepped on a feature, the water would go higher at the other end.
Don Ball, resident, asked if construction could begin soon and if there was time enough this building season to get done what needs to be accomplished in order that there will not be a delay in opening the pool next year.
"Parts of the construction can take place throughout the entire winter," said Anderson.
He said that there were construction means that could be employed to even thaw out the ground for certain portions if needed.
Mark Jones, mayor, said that the addition to the pool would have something for all age groups, including teens and adults.
"A portion is for all of us," he said.
"On the west side of the pool where there are two diving boards," said Baker, parks superintendent, "the smaller diving board will be taken out and will be replaced with a climbing wall."
The 25 or so teens attending council meeting for credit in a high school class, indicated strong approval for the idea.
The plan is to take down the existing fence and make the splash pool and the swimming pool one space. It would nestle on the south side of the existing pool.
"The pool, itself is pretty much what it is," said Mark Jones, mayor."It would cost a million dollars to do the project and replace the pool."
Nephi does not have that kind of financial backing, said Jones.
Students also wondered if the new features would mean an increase in swimming pool use fees.
"We have not discussed that," said Jones. "We will get it built and see but we want to hold the cost of use down because we want everyone to use it."
Students had a concern about vandalism and also whether or not another lif guard would be needed to provide safety to those using the expanded facility.
Jones said the council was also not certain that another lifeguard would be needed but that it was a possibility
As for vandalism, said Anderson, it would take a lot to ruin one of the features. They were made of a material so sturdy that he had been invited by manufacturers to take a baseball bat to one and try to destroy it. It proved impossible. Likewise, he said, a special coating allows graffiti to be removed.
Of course, said Jones, there would be a fence around the pool and water feature area. There will be lighting, the usual police patrols and there will be other safeguards.
Each feature is priced individually, said Jones. A high school club might raise money for a feature they would like and the name of the sponsoring group could be made a permanent part of that feature.
As long as the structure to support the feature and the piping is in place for water, said Anderson, then it could be planned to add something.
Ball said he thought, that as soon as the pool could be opened, the city might include a free pass in each utility bill which would encourage residents to give the new facility a try.
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