ESCANABA — Escanaba will soon have a new activity for families as work begins to replace the former Webster Wading Pool with a new splash pad.

It’s been a long process to start work on the splash pad, as it was brought up in discussions within the Escanaba Recreation Advisory Board back in 2018.

Escanaba Recreation Director Kim Peterson said that when the department initially bid out the project, it did not receive any bids.

“The project had to be scaled back due to the increased costs of materials and construction. (We) sent the bid out again last year and received three local bids,” Peterson said.

In February, the Escanaba City Council approved a bid from Walechka of Carney to complete the project.

Construction began on April 29 as workers removed the current pool.

“The pool and pump house has been removed,” Peterson said.

The Escanaba Water Department is currently working on the infrastructure portion of the project.

During removal, crews discovered another pool and sidewalk structure underneath.

“We had no idea there was a pool built on top of another pool,” Peterson said.

The materials for the splash pad have been ordered, and there’s a chance residents will get to try it out this summer.

“(It) will be complete this summer; unsure if it will be before the summer ends or not though,” she said.

The pad will feature several sprayers coming from the ground, spraying in different directions within the circle of the pad.

Additionally, the project adds two pavilions, a bike rack, and an ADA picnic table and benches.

“This is made possible by Delta-Schoolcraft Great Start Family Coalition,” Peterson said.

When completed, the pad will be open seven days a week from 12 to 7 p.m., during the summer months.

The project received additional funding from the DeGrand family, the Hannahville 2% grant, the Youth Advisory Committee, the Community Foundation for Delta County, the Kobasic Foundation and the City of Escanaba.