If the Brundidge City Council moves forward today with a plan to build a $500,000 splash pad park, members may look to Ozark for examples of how to construct the playground and park.

The Brundidge City Council will decided today whether to proceed with an application for a 2016 CDBG Community Enhancement grant to construct a half-million dollar recreation park on nine acres of city property on Veterans Boulevard. The park would include a splash pad, playground, walking trail, restroom facilities, access road and 20-space parking area.

Brundidge City Manager Britt Thomas proposed the project at the council’s June 7 meeting. At that time, Thomas told the council that the grant has a July 1 deadline. He said he would move ahead with the grant application process in order to meet the deadline if the council votes to make application for the grant.

Nearly a dozen people attended the June 10 public hearing on the grant, and the audience was shown slides of a representative splash pad and restroom facilities that are under construction as part of the renovation of Stegall Park in Ozark.

Steve Sherrill, Ozark director of leisure services, said the restroom facilities at Stegall Park originally were located on the backside of the park but are being torn down and moved to the front for visibility.

“If you get out of your car in the parking lot and walk 10 feet, you’ll be in the restrooms,” Sherrill said. “If you’re driving along the street, you can see who’s venturing in and out. The restrooms will be visible.”

The Brundidge plan currently calls for restrooms to be constructed at the back of the park, but concerns about safety and possible vandalism were expressed during the public hearing. Brundidge Mayor Jimmy Ramage said vandalism of the restroom facilities at Ramage Park also had been a problem.

Sherrill said the Ozark splash pad and playground are fenced, and there’s only one way in and out.  “You go in the front and out the front,” he said. “Kids under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.”

There are also regulations for use by children under the age of 3.

Stegall Park is located in a populated area of Ozark near the city’s community center and Carroll High School.

The Brundidge proposed park will be on the lower portion of the property and will not be supervised and will not be lighted.

Thomas said the sprinkler system for the splash pad will be activated by a push of a button and will provide waterspouts for about 15 minutes before shutting off until the button is pushed again. The spray pad will be operational during set hours.

The estimated cost of the proposed Brundidge park project is $583,000 with the city’s cost at around $259,000. Ramage said a private investor would donate $100,000 to the project. The investor has yet to be named.

The city has two other parks, Galloway Park, which includes a ball field, playground and community building, and Ramage Park, which includes ball fields, playground, concession stand and restroom facilities. Plans for a park remediation include a walking trail, picnic areas and gazebo at Ramage Park.