FULTON – Children’s laughter and splashing water echoed behind Mayor Deana Michaels as she welcomed in the new Fulton Splash Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony at C.V. Abbott Park at Hulett Park yesterday, August 12.
“They are having a blast. I love to hear the cheering and the yelling and the laughter – that’s what we were hoping for,” Michaels said.
Michaels thanked everyone involved in the two-year-long project, with special thanks to the Common Council, Councilors Don Patrick Jr., Larry Macner and Tom Kenyon, and Department of Public Works Commissioner C J Smith, all of whom played an integral role in the plans undertaking. Cost of the project was $45,000.
“It’s exciting,” Michaels said. “This is a great day for the City of Fulton and for the kids. You know, I hear often, there’s not a lot for the kids to do, and we kept taking away. And now, this is just a start of giving back to the families and to the children. As you can see, the families are enjoying it and it’s definitely a welcome addition to our community… We’re going to do additional projects around the city to give the kids something to do. And so this is a start. It could be another splash park; it could be something else. We’ll get creative and work with Friends of Fulton Parks and our other partners in the community, and we’ll come up with the next good idea.”
The splash park is located at Hulett Park on Division Street between Sixth and Seventh Street in Fulton. The park’s original designation was slated for Recreational Park on the West side of the city, but due to unsuitable sanitary lines, the spray park had to be relocated. Third Ward Councilor Don Patrick Jr. spoke to Mayor Ronald Woodward Sr. at the time, suggesting Hulett Park as a viable option.
“You know, people are moving here to our city,” Patrick said. “When people look to move into the City of Fulton, they look for real estate, number one, [the] school system, and recreation – what do we have for the kids?.. I thought this would be a great draw at the time, for the children. It’s accessible; it’s handicapped accessible. A pool is great, but it’s not handicapped accessible, per se. It’s great; it’s great for the kids. I would love to have another one on the West side.”
The splash park is open during normal operating park hours. For more information, please contact Friends of Fulton Parks.
“I am just happy to see this, because our children need recreation in the city and this is just a step in the right direction,” Fifth Ward Councilor Audrey Avery said. “And hopefully we can do something like this in another area; maybe at the campgrounds, which would be a wonderful addition to our city.”
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