Childcare rules approved for Splash Pad visits
Local childcare businesses should expect some new protocol when the McFee Park Splash Pad opens Friday, April 29.
At the request of Parks and Recreation director Sue Stuhl, Farragut’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously to approve new rules related to childcare businesses using the amenity during its March 24 meeting.
“As you know, our Splash Pad is well loved — so well loved that it’s been difficult to make everyone happy,” Stuhl said. “In the past three years, we’ve had a problem with childcare businesses using the Splash Pad in McFee playground as a spot for their field trips. And, we understand why — it’s beautiful; it’s great; it’s awesome.
“But, it tends to cause problems with our community because it literally gets overrun with kids, so families have a hard time being able to use it.
“It gets so crowded that you can’t hardly move,” she added. “Some of the problems we’ve had is they tend to go under the pavilions even if they’re rented.
“And, sometimes the restrooms are an issue, where kids are changing and the entrances are blocked, which you really can’t do for everyone who wants to use the restroom,” Stuhl said. “We have tried, on staff level and we’ve talked with the Parks and Athletics Council, to institute some policies to make this easier, including asking them to rent a pavilion, asking them to only use it during certain times.
“We haven’t been successful,” she added. “Last year, it reached a fever pitch.
”We would love for the Board to give us the full weight of your power behind a policy,” Stuhl said. “We are asking that any childcare business rent a pavilion — for a half day, the pavilion’s rental fee is $85 or $95. That gives them a home base, where they can put all their stuff.”
Under the new policy, businesses could use the Splash Pad from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays only.
Additionally, the businesses would park at the lower parking lot, so their busses “don’t jam up the upper lot,” Stuhl said. “And ... make sure their kids change clothes at their place of business before they come.”
Upon leaving, they would dry off, put their clothes back on and change at the childcare business.
“We feel (the new policy provides) a good balance,” Stuhl added. “We would like for the community to know that this is what we’re going to do, so they could plan. If they don’t want to battle the crowds, they could come on one of the other days —Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and weekends — and still give these childcare businesses some place to go for their field trips.”
“How are we going to enforce this?” Vice Mayor Louise Povlin asked.
“Just like we enforce a lot of things,” Stuhl answered. “It’s difficult, like enforcing no smoking in the parks.
However, “we will send out letters to people who we know use it,” she added. “We’ll also put it on social media and in the newspaper.”
