It’s a project five years in the making and one that, quite frankly, many people around town doubted would ever happen.
Now, however, Splash Baldwin is readying to open its gates to the public.
A ribbon cutting, complete with dignitaries and giant Chamber of Commerce scissors, will take place at 9:30 a.m. on May 29, while the park will open at 10 a.m.
The timing isn’t the best, based on the fact that Carlos Tobar was fired from his county manager position earlier this month. Tobar was the point person for the project and the one with most of the expertise.
With Tobar no longer on board, county commissioners are pausing the swimming lessons previously planned for June and July. County commissioners also are pressing pause on any lap swimming or senior swims this summer.
The rest of the plan, though, remains largely in place. Splash Baldwin will operate seven days a week, 10 a.m. through 6 p.m., beginning next Friday and running through Labor Day. The park then will be “weekends only” for the first two weeks of September, at which point it will close for the season.
Here’s a nifty Q&A: QUESTION: How much to get in?
ANSWER: Standard admission is $12 and $9 for military personnel and seniors. There’s no admission for children under the age of 3. The group rate (20-plus people) is $9. However, “groups” must reserve their tickets at least a week in advance.
Group passes and season passes can be purchased at splashbaldwin.com A “single season pass” is $85, while a family season pass (one adult and three children) is $250. Photos of all four people must be uploaded when registering for season passes, and those photos will be checked at the gate.
QUESTION: Will outside food and drink be allowed?
ANSWER: The answer is no, but county officials are proud of the facility’s concession stand, which will be “very large,” Tobar previously said. Also, water fountains/water refilling stations will be located around the park. The concession stand is also accessible from the outside, which will be convenient for pickleballers and other recreation department visitors.
QUESTION: Are there any niche rules?
ANSWER: Anyone under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
The park will have a “clear bag only” policy. There will be some leniency during the first two weeks of the park’s opening. After that, though, the policy will be strictly enforced.
Also, there’s a “no re-entry” rule. If a patron must go to their vehicle, they’ll have to pay to get back in.
Another rule is the “no speaker” policy. This includes bluetooth speakers, as well as volume on cell phones. Patrons can leave their ringtones on, but they must not have any audible sound coming from their phones.
QUESTION: What if I can’t swim?
ANSWER: The deepest water will be four feet. Tobar previously said that they learned this lesson from the waterparkin nearby Dublin, which recently concreted over the deeper parts of its swimming areas. This makes it much easier to higher lifeguards, and shallower watermeans that lifeguards don’t have to be certified in anything other than CPR. Certified lifeguard shortages have become an issue at municipal pools around middle Georgia and the rest of the state.
QUESTION: How much did the project cost?
ANSWER: The final price tag came out to $7 million, according to Tobar.
SPLOST money covered most of the costs, while the county previously was awarded a $2.2 million grant for the project from the Governor’s Office of Planning & Budget. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources also chipped in with a $447,000 “land water conservation grant.”
QUESTION: What’s the break-even point?
ANSWER: The new water park would have to generate $380,000 this year in order to not lose money. The goal is to turn a profit, said Tobar.
However, it’s important to remember that the goal of government and the goal of private business are different.
While the goal of private business is to maximize profit, the goal of government is to provide a “public good.” Said Tobar: “We definitely consider this a public good.”