July 19, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Journey Group.

Steve Nafus credits hits grandson, Adrian, for the newest addition to the Belle Fourche parks system.

A few years ago, Adrian’s birthday party in Spearfish introduced grandpa to the concept of a splash pad – an easy-to-use, interactive water feature that invites kids to cool off in city parks.

“I said, ‘We need one in Belle Fourche,’” said Nafus, an assistant city engineer for the community of about 5,500 people.

The mayor agreed with him. The city council put it in the budget. The state gave a matching grant. And last month, the first kids began to splash in it.

“It’s been nothing but a positive,” Nafus said.

“On these days when it’s 90 or 100 degrees, there’s always somebody there.”

Splash pads have become a hot item for communities of all sizes – and served as recent construction projects for Ainsworth-Benning Construction, a Journey Group company.

“It’s been neat to work on these,” project manager Quentin Geddes said. “They’ve involved mostly concrete work, installation and piping, and it’s been really rewarding to see the final product.”

The first splash pad Ainsworth-Benning tackled started last fall in Sundance, Wyo., just over the South Dakota border.

It’s part of the city’s redesigned Sundance Square and replaced a condemned old school building.

“The park was developed as a center for economic development to bring people to town because green space is such a boon to communities,” said Kathy Lenz, clerk treasurer for the community.

A downtown master plan restored a century-old schoolhouse and called for development of the square. Sundance is the county seat for a 7,000-person area and the first Wyoming community over the South Dakota border.

Sundance Square was designed with the splash pad and a play center on one side of the park, with restrooms and a walkway of historic photos. There’s also a stage for concerts with green space in front of it.

“It has lots of limestone rock and a nature feel but lots of trees and plantings in there to make it feel very secluded,” Lenz said. “The concrete work is just beautiful. And our Sundance Kid statue was relocated to its new home, so it’s featured in this park at the grand entrance.”

The splash pad has become a popular attraction in its first month.

“It’s so funny because it was debated when it was first talked about that it wouldn’t be used, and it’s been nonstop,” Lenz said. “Kids are in it morning until night, and travelers pull in, get their picnic things out, and the kids play. It’s exceeded our expectations for sure.”

So did the construction process, she said.

“Ainsworth was amazing – very responsive and a great group,” she said. “It is absolutely beautiful.”

Belle Fourche also used its splash pad to activate a city park. It’s in Jones Park, near a largely residential area on the south end of town, and it replaced an aging tennis court.

The splash pad is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and starts up when kids push a button. It runs for four minutes on one cycle, then changes up the zone and does that three times before turning off.

“I’ve taken my grandkids there and talk to people from out of town, and they think it’s the most wonderful thing you can have in a town,” Nafus said.

He also had a positive experience as the city official overseeing construction.

“Ainsworth-Benning was wonderful. I’ve never had a bad project working with them, and I’ve been here a lot of years, and it’s always nice when they get a project,” he said.

“I’ve seen a lot of projects where the contractor is there for the paycheck, and with these guys, I’ve always been impressed with all their crew members and how they really seem to care.”

For Ainsworth-Benning, which is based in Spearfish, the splash pad projects have been a fun and diverse addition to a busy season, Geddes said.

“We’ve been really, really busy. Housing is booming out here, so we’re doing a lot of housing developments. We’re doing a lot of curb and gutter projects and a lot of hospital work in Rapid City,” he said.

“And with these park projects, it’s really rewarding to see all the kids out there enjoying it and being able to bring that to the communities. There’s a lot of takeaway when you see families out enjoying the park, and you know you’ve helped make a nice staple for the community.”