Grand Island outlines $16M plan to renovate Island Oasis pool, add mini golf and splash pad

City staff and consultants on June 17 presented design details and an estimated budget for a major renovation of Island Oasis, Grand Island’s municipal water park, and answered council questions about safety, schedule and how the project could be paid for.

The presentation described a plan to separate the water park’s single large pool into two bodies of water — a dedicated wave pool and a leisure pool with beach entry and play structures — repair the lazy river and renovate the bathhouse, plus add an 18‑hole mini golf course, a splash pad and a dry recreation/play area. The consultant said the work would also address equipment, pump and filtration systems dating to the original 1993 construction.

City parks consultant Kyle McCawley of Water’s Edge Aquatic Design Group told the council the intent is to create a longer, more flexible wave pool and a distinct leisure pool with shallow water play features, family slides and shade over shallow areas. “The wave pool will allow more different wave patterns to be generated,” McCawley said, adding the equipment and some structure date to the park’s original construction in 1993 and will be replaced.

Why it matters: Island Oasis is a high‑use city amenity. The design aims to improve safety and operating flexibility, and to add year‑round revenue opportunities by creating attractions — mini golf and a splash pad — that can open or remain available outside the main swim season.

Most important details - Estimated project cost: consultants presented two nearby totals during the meeting — roughly $15.9 million in one presentation slide and about $17 million on the city finance worksheets. City staff described these as working estimates and said the numbers would be refined in design and bidding. - Budget breakdown cited in the presentation (planning estimates): about $11.3 million for aquatics and “back‑of‑house” items (new wave pool, new leisure pool, lazy river repairs, pumps and filters); roughly $2.9 million for the mini golf, splash pad and dry play area; additional cost for bathhouse expansions and parking repairs were included in the overall estimate. - Mini golf: consultants said a standalone estimate for the 18‑hole concrete mini golf installation and associated site work is about $500,000, and that the design will use formed concrete play features rather than temporary modular pieces. - Operations and seasonal strategy: consultants and staff said the splash pad and mini golf are intended to be operable separately from Island Oasis so they can open earlier and stay open later in the year; McCawley said, “We keep the splash pads open till October now.” - Safety and design: council member Nickerson asked about water depth under high‑activity play features; McCawley said the play area for the interactive obstacle elements would be designed for approximately 3½ to 4 feet of water. - Schedule: the consultant said the project was in the construction‑document phase, would go through a QA/QC review and permitting (including Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services), and could go out for bid after those steps. The team’s goal is to have construction start in September and to open for the next swim season, subject to permitting and bids. - Contracting and penalties: McCawley said liquidated damages are typically included in the bidding documents and are commonly set in the $500–$1,000‑per‑day range if a late opening causes lost revenue; staff said the final liquidated‑damages amount would be set in the contract.

Discussion and council questions Council members pressed on maintenance and operating costs, revenue potential and how public input shaped amenity choices. McCawley said the 2023 Island Oasis master plan guided amenity selection and that other team consultants (landscape architects and a mini golf specialist) had been engaged to design higher‑quality, permanent mini golf features. When asked whether the mini golf and splash pad would be paid or free, McCawley said the intent is for the splash pad to be free and mini golf to be a paid attraction.

What remains unresolved Staff emphasized the cost estimates are preliminary and that the city will return with refined budgets and a recommendation for awarding construction contracts after the bidding process. Finance staff subsequently discussed possible financing options (see related article on the council’s financing discussion). No formal council action or contract award occurred at the June 17 meeting.

Ending City staff and the consultant asked council to consider timing and funding options so design and permitting can continue; the council requested additional operating‑cost and revenue projections before committing to bonding or other funding actions. If council chooses to fast‑track construction, staff said they would return with contract recommendations following a competitive bid process and permitting approvals.