Webster Groves staff report public preference for splash pad behind restrooms at Ivy Crockett Park

Staff briefed commissioners on the first public input session for the Ivy Crockett park master plan, emphasizing Phase 1: a new splash pad and prefabricated restrooms. The open house presented three possible pad locations and solicitation boards; attendees placed green‑dot votes.

The staff presentation highlighted cost and operational advantages of placing the splash pad directly behind the existing restrooms: ‘‘These prefabricated restrooms ... have additional storage for all the pumps, electrical, piping, all that stuff, and it's directly behind it, which we minimize our cost greatly,’’ staff said. The preferred option would also remove an older playground and allow installation of a new, modern play structure.

Commissioners raised design and access concerns, including how much of the current playground would be removed and whether certain pad designs are better for children with sensory issues. Staff said there is no formal, cited research on sensory responsiveness for every design but that many splash pads nationwide are used for interactive and sensory development; staff committed to following up on accessibility features based on public input.

The staff suggested a typical pad footprint of about 50 by 50 feet for the park’s scale and noted tradeoffs if the pad were sited farther from utilities: longer electrical and piping runs, construction of housing for recirculating pumps, and higher costs. Staff said the open house attendees ‘‘most preferred’’ the option behind the restrooms and that a follow‑up public meeting is planned in November to refine features and restroom/shade‑structure details.

The commission agreed to review the design boards and place green‑dot votes after the meeting. Staff will incorporate public feedback into the next design iteration and present more detailed cost and feature options at the subsequent public meeting.