Group of residents has raised $133K so far for project

A splash pad could be in use in Albert Lea in the next four months.

The Albert Lea City Council on Monday unanimously approved the construction of a splash pad at the corner of Broadway Avenue and Fountain Street.

Jets of water are planned to flow from the ground, and a fence will be installed, said Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams.

Designing and ordering for the project is expected to be completed by the end of March, and installation is expected to take two weeks in May.

The project was made possible after a committee of residents met an initial fundraising goal to order the project. As of Monday, they had raised $133,000 through monetary donations and commitments of in-kind labor. The overall fundraising goal is $161,000.

Committee members Victoria McGill and April Jeppson thanked the community for its support for the project.

“We are very surprised at the community support we’ve been getting,” McGill said. “It’s really picked up … I know other communities and other cities have similar projects like this, and I do think from what I’ve read and what I’ve heard, our community has really stepped up to the plate and have really, really donated and have been quite active with helping us getting this project moving forward. That’s just amazing and wonderful to see.”

The Albert Lea City Council gave the green light for the group of volunteers to begin fundraising for the project in February 2016.

“The mayors in Minnesota have been having a conversation about splash pads, and every community that currently has one says it is one of the top five things they have done in the last 10 years,” said Albert Lea Mayor Vern Rasmussen Jr. “They are quite excited about the ones they have in their communities, so we look forward to seeing this in the future.”

Committee member Sarah Stultz, managing editor of the Tribune, thanked the community for its response for the splash pad.

“We are grateful for the outpouring of community support we have received for this project thus far and look forward to seeing it come to fruition this spring and summer,” she said. “The splash pad will benefit present and future residents, as well as visitors to the community.”

The fundraising deadline is March 31.