Douglas County approves $506,000 splash‑pad purchase and NV Energy electrical work; East Fork Swim District to contribute $100,000

Douglas County commissioners on June 26 approved purchase and installation contracts and an electrical‑infrastructure contract to build a splash pad at the Topaz Ranch Estates Community Park, and accepted an expanded $100,000 contribution from the East Fork Swimming Pool District.

The county used a cooperative purchasing contract (Omnia Partners) with Great Western Recreation/AquaWorks and approved a joiner contract for equipment and installation in the amount of $506,055.14. The board also approved a separate contract with NV Energy for required electrical work of $32,498 and a budget transfer from two room‑tax projects to cover remaining costs.

Community Services Deputy Director Ryan Stanton and Community Services Director Brooke Ady told commissioners the splash pad was prioritized in the department’s capital improvement plan and is meant to serve roughly 1,600 children in the Topaz Ranch Estates (TRE) area. East Fork Swimming Pool District Director Shannon Harris told the board the district’s trustees had recently agreed to increase the district’s contribution from $50,000 to $100,000.

Stanton described the planned splash pad as an AquaWorks design with mostly in‑grade water features and a single “actuator” tower that starts the pad sequence. The pad will be installed on turf between the existing playground and baseball field; the surrounding surfacing will be concrete with future shade and pavilion improvements planned. County staff said trees adjacent to the site will be retained to provide shade and that park staff will operate and maintain the pad; staff plan to attend pool‑operator training offered by the East Fork Swim District.

The county will use Omnia Partners (a cooperative purchasing consortium) for the procurement and authorized the Community Services Director to execute change orders up to 10% of the contract. The board also approved a budget transfer in the room‑tax fund totaling $183,774.58 (transferring funds from a Highway 88 widening project and from the pickleball complex project) to fund the splash‑pad project.

Commissioner Dan Gardner moved approval; Commissioner Robert Tarkanian seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Why this matters: The splash pad is intended to expand recreation access in south Douglas County without tapping the general fund — the county said it will use room‑tax (residential construction tax) funds and the East Fork Swim District’s contribution. County staff said the TRE general improvement district (GID) will not be required to cover installation or maintenance costs.

Clarifying details discussed at the meeting included that the East Fork funds are “up to $100,000” and will be used after county funds are exhausted and that park staff will be trained as certified pool operators through the Carson Valley Swim Center. The county also said it will keep existing basketball facilities and may add pickleball courts as funding permits.

Speakers quoted: Ryan Stanton, Community Services Deputy Director; Brooke Ady, Community Services Director; Shannon Harris, director, East Fork Swimming Pool District. Commissioners participating in the vote included Chair Charla Hales, Commissioner Dan Gardner, Commissioner Robert Tarkanian, Commissioner David Tolbert and Commissioner Wes Rice.

Ending note: County staff said they will invite commissioners and district leaders to a groundbreaking once contracts are executed and construction is scheduled to begin.