At a recent city council meeting on November 5, the City of Sealy officially awarded a contract for a new splashpad to replace the Jacqueline A. Cryan Memorial Park Pool, marking the end of an era for the beloved but troubled facility. The new splashpad, to be named the Irene LeBlanc Splashpad, is set to be completed by spring 2025, with Adventure Playground Systems, Inc. of Houston winning the contract at a bid of $444,083.98.

The pool at Jacqueline A. Cryan Memorial Park, which opened in 2012, had long been a treasured community asset but also a source of operational headaches and expenses for the city. Originally intended to be run in partnership with the YMCA, that arrangement never materialized, leaving the city to manage the facility on its own. Over the years, the pool faced numerous issues, including costly maintenance, staffing shortages, and low attendance.

The transition to a splashpad is seen as a solution to many of the difficulties associated with the old pool. Unlike the pool, which required a minimum of four lifeguards on duty due to its complex design, the splashpad will need little to no staffing, reducing operational costs significantly. With a maximum depth of just four feet, the original pool was also ill-suited for swim team practices or deeper-water activities, further limiting its appeal and utility for the community.

Adventure Playground Systems’ bid came after multiple rounds of bidding, with the final round attracting two responsive bids. Councilmembers expressed surprise at the drastic difference between the bids submitted, as noted by Councilmember Dee Ann Lerma, but were reassured by the engineering consultants that the bid requirements had remained consistent.

The splashpad project comes with a 90-day completion timeline, which the council hopes will enable the city to open the new facility in time for the warmer spring months. “Having this ready by spring would be a wonderful way to offer kids and families in our community a fun and safe place to enjoy the outdoors,” added Bilski.

 

 

You can watch the discussion and vote starting at the 00:33:51 mark of the video below:

 

 

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