Splash Pad/Soak Park Planned For Fostoria

(From Fostoria Economic Development Corporation)

The Splash Pad-Soak Park at City Park in Fostoria is slated to break ground next summer. In May, Vision 2020 with the assistance of volunteer fundraising chair, Don Mennel, began raising funds to demolish the dilapidated swimming pool at City Park along with the bath house, slide, and concession stand and replace them with a Splash Pad – Soak Park. The initial cost estimates for the Splash Pad were $550,000. Vision 2020 set out to raise $200,000 from private donations. These donated funds were to be combined with a $150,000 allocation from the Ohio State Capital budget, City of Fostoria’s $100,000 allocation from the 2024 budget and $100,000 from the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation.

Vision 2020 successfully collected $274,686 from local donations with $35,500 in multi-year pledges still coming in. In addition, Vision 2020 secured grants from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for $446,770, Findlay Hancock County Community Foundation for $25,000, Terhune Foundation for $25,000, Henry H Geary Memorial Foundation for $10,000 and The Andersons Foundation for $10,000, allowing us to not only construct a better Splash Pad-Soak Park but also construct an ADA compliant bath house with restrooms from the $1,116,456 raised thus far.

Don Mennel, Volunteer Fundraising Chair, “We are so pleased with the tremendous support of this community project. The Splash Pad-Soak Park fundraising, planning and construction demonstrates the success achieved when public/private partnerships are used to achieve a Vision for the youth of Fostoria.” According to Mayor, Eric Keckler, “The Splash Pad is an example of what can be accomplished when various entities, individuals, and businesses work together for a community project. I am excited to see this project come to fruition in 2024.”

Poggemeyer Engineering/Kleinfelder is assisting with the project and have worked with Vision 2020 and City leadership to select a theme and tentative design with the goal of project completion next summer.

Vision 2020 is a 501(c)3 charitable organization with a mission of supporting community initiatives.