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Council discusses splash pad safety and remote‑shutdown limitations after busy opening
Summary
Council members raised safety concerns about the new Towne Green splash pad after staff said the facility cannot be remotely disabled during lightning; discussion covered signage, pedestrian crossings and possible future controls.
Council members raised safety concerns on Aug. 4 about the newly opened splash pad at Towne Green after city staff said the feature currently has only manual breaker control and cannot be remotely disabled in the event of lightning.
City Administrator John Emerick and staff reported that the splash pad has been popular since its opening and that signage and additional landscaping are forthcoming as part of the Towne Green project. During council input, members asked whether the splash pad has a system to automatically disable activation during nearby lightning; staff said it does not and that the only current method to stop operation is to manually turn the breaker off at the equipment cabinet. Staff said the splash pad runs on a push‑button activation that operates for three minutes per activation and that there is no 24‑hour remote shutdown system in place.
Council discussion covered liability concerns and the difficulty of supervising an unsupervised public amenity. One councilmember noted that adults supervising children were not consistently attentive on opening day and urged that the city find a quick way to disable the pad when conditions create a risk to children. Staff said signage is being installed and painted now and that they will investigate whether technical controls (a lightning sensor/disruptor or remote shutoff) are available and feasible. The city also discussed adding a marked pedestrian crossing to improve safety for people walking to the Towne Green area.
What happens next: Staff committed to researching technical options for remotely disabling the splash pad, to review signage placement and to consider additional pedestrian‑safety measures. No formal action or ordinance was taken; council requested staff follow up and report back.
Speakers cited: John Emerick, City Administrator; councilmembers raised questions during council input; staff present included operations and parks personnel.
