Construction Underway on Splash Pad at Wheeling Heritage Port
Eric Ayres Trending
WHEELING -- Work got underway this week on the new Heritage Port splash pad project, and if all goes as scheduled, the new feature will be finished and open to the public after Memorial Day weekend.
Crews from Savage Construction Company Inc. of Wheeling broke ground on the project Monday at Heritage Port near Wheeling Heritage Trail and WesBanco Arena.
"We received the health department permit from the West Virginia Department of Health last week," Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron reported to members of city council. "The contract completion date is May 31, so hopefully that will be done before summer."
Heritage Port was buzzing with activity early this week as crews from Savage Construction began work on the new splash pad while other crews continued to clean up mud left behind from last week's flood, which put much of the port underwater.
Wheeling City Council awarded a $348,500 contract to Savage Construction last summer for the installation of the Heritage Port splash pad.
The city is utilizing money from its pool of federal pandemic relief provided through the American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA fund.
The city also used ARPA money for engineering of splash pad projects at both Heritage Port and at the Warwood Garden Park Pool. City hired CT Consultants of Mentor, Ohio, to design the splash pads, although a majority of council members voted against approving the splash pad project in Warwood.
Splash pads have been a popular addition to a number of public pools in recent years, often replacing areas where adjacent "baby pools" were once located. In the Wheeling area, splash pads have been added to the Bridge Park Pool on Wheeling Island and at the Grandview-Wheeling Heights Pool more recently. The Wheeling Park Commission has also brought these play areas with arrays of spraying fountains and water-dumping buckets to the Oglebay Pool and planned to offer a new one at the Wheeling Park Pool, as well.
City officials said they expect the new downtown splash pad to be up and running in time for the many activities that take place at Heritage Port during the summer months. A full slate of summer concerts and festivals is taking shape for 2024. The city's popular Waterfront Wednesdays offers free concerts at Heritage Port -- typically from late May through early September -- and events and festivals take place there on weekends throughout the summer.
Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott said the new splash pad at Heritage Port will be one of many investments made to enhance recreational opportunities in the Friendly City in recent years.
"For nearly eight years now, Wheeling City Council has shown a continuing commitment to outdoor recreation by updating each of our city playgrounds, adding and improving dog parks, and planning new waterfront parks on Wheeling Island and at the Robrecht site," Elliott said. "This 'spray ground' installation at Heritage Port represents yet another investment making our outdoor experience more rewarding -- especially for families with children."
Herron also reported that the installation of a safety turf surface at the Pulaski Playground in South Wheeling should wrap up the renovations there. Additionally, Wheeling City Council also awarded $245,850 to Savage Construction for renovations and improvements at the 36th Street, Clator and Elm Terrace playgrounds. Those recreational upgrades will also be completed through the use of ARPA money.