Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson, far right, steps on a button to activate the new splash pad during a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday at Westside Park.
Chey Smith | The Tribune
Adults and children alike celebrate the new splash pad and playground Tuesday at Westside Park during a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Chey Smith | The Tribune
Jena Hanks, Health Issues and Challenges grant coordinator for Healthy Jackson County, thanks Tim Conley, a program coordinator with the Indiana Department of Health,, left, and Regina Smith, a division director with the state department of health, for the state’s help with fund and assistance for recently completed park projects in Seymour. Hanks later presented Smith with a gift basket for her help with the project.
Chey Smith | The Tribune
Officials with the Indiana Department of Health and other supporters of recent park projects in Seymour, joined Monica Riley, president of Seymour Parks and Recreation Department’s board, as she prepares to cut the ribbon during a ceremony Tuesday at Westside Park.
Chey Smith | The Tribune
Monica Riley, president of the Seymour Parks and Recreation Department’s board, cuts the ribbon Tuesday at Westside Park for a new splash pad and other new park equipment in Seymour.
Chey Smith | The Tribune
Park attendees watching the Westside Splash Pad in action on Tuesday during a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Chey Smith | The Tribune
A ribbon cutting celebrating the new splash pad and playground at Westside Park and playground equipment added to three other Seymour parks — Gaiser, Kasting and Freeman Field Recreational Complex — took place Tuesday.
The event, held at Westside Park at 920 W. Jackson St., also featured free hot dogs, nachos, snow cones and water for those in attendance. There was a bouncy house and some games for kids to play with.
The Indiana Department of Health gave the Seymour Parks and Recreation Department a grant of nearly $1 million in early 2023. That grant helped make the splash pad and park equipment a reality. In 2022, the parks and rec department collaborated with Healthy Jackson County to apply for that Indiana Department of Health’s Health Issues and Challenges Grant as an opportunity for growth of the parks to address the need for space for physical activities.
“I want to extend my gratitude to the Indiana Department of Health for this substantial support and belief in our vision,” Park Director Chad Keithley said. “This grant is a testament to the commitment we share toward enhancing the quality of life in our community.”
Other organizations helping to fund these park projects include Schneck Medical Center, The Arc of Jackson County and Cars and Guitars. Schneck also served as the fiscal agent for the grant.
“[The new playgrounds and splash pad] represent more than just recreational facilities; they are a space for our children to play, learn and grow,” Keithley said. “They are places where families can come together, where friendships will be formed and where countless memories will be made.”
Unfortunately, due to a faulty filtration pump from the manufacturer, the splash pad was not safe for use Tuesday.
Keithley said they are expecting people to come within the week to look at the pump and get it working. Once it is fixed, a water sample will need to be collected and tested, pushing back the first day of the splash pad being opened toward the end of the month.
Although the splash pad has a concern with its safety, the functionality was in order. While no one could step onto the pad and get in the water, everyone received a demonstration of how it works and what the kids have to look forward to.
To show gratitude toward all the work that has been put into the splash pad, Jena Hanks, Health Issues and Challenges grant coordinator for Healthy Jackson County, gave a special thanks to Regina Smith, division director with the Indiana Department of Health Division’s Health Innovation Partnerships and Programs. Hanks presented a gift basket made for Smith.
The four acres of Westside Park, established in the late 1950s, contains a basketball court, ball diamond, shelter house and restrooms, installed in 2023. The playground was installed earlier this year through the same grant.