Recreation Director proposes splashpad at Corbin city pool; says miniature golf course planned

The Corbin Tourism and Convention Commission is being asked to support a project that would expand the current city pool to include a "splashpad" for younger children.

Marlon Sams, Director of Corbin’s Department of Parks and Recreation, presented the idea for a splashpad to the board during it’s regular monthly meeting on Monday. The "splash pad," a large, rectangular area filled with interesting and amusing water features, is planned to be constructed behind the city pool next to the Princess Vermillion McBurney Recreation Center.

"In the 13 years I’ve been there, the only major improvement we have done is we put a new liner in the pool," Sams said. "I keep looking around us at places like W’burg who has the water park and Barbourville with a water park. I’d like to add this to what we have in a smaller capacity."

Sams estimated the cost of equipment for the project would be about $50,000. Most of the labor, he said, would be done by city workers.

Sams did not officially ask the Tourism Commission for any financial commitment, saying the project is still in its early stages. There are several major companies that market and sell splashpad equipment, and he said he is currently securing bids from those companies to see who can provide the best product for the best price.

Board members seemed generally supportive of the idea. Alan Onkst, a member, said London has a splashpad already, and added that he’s also seen one in Valparaiso, Ind. that is very popular with local residents there.

Sams said the project is just one part of a larger plan to add features to the recreation center. He is also looking into the possibility of constructing a miniature golf course on the site.

While no formal action was taken on the proposal, Tourism members did hear other requests for funding for several other events.

D.L. Lynch, Owner of Forest Bowling Lanes, requested $4,000 to help offset the cost of hosting the Kentucky Youth Bowling Association Tournament scheduled to take place during the entire month of April. Lynch said it is the first time for Corbin to host the event.

The money, he said, would be used to purchase a special towel for participants, along with entertainment and trophies.
The board gave Lynch $6,000 last year to help host a statewide bowling tournament for adult women – $4,500 more than was actually budgeted for the event by the Commission.

Commission members took the request under advisement.

Skip Walden, a member of the Whitley County Tourism Commission, asked the board for $3,300 to help sponsor a fishing tournament at Laurel Lake, likely to take place next year. He said the tournament would have a $20,000 purse and would draw 200 to 250 boats.

"For that kind of money … they will come in and pre-fish the lake for two or three days and spend $200 to $250 a day," Walden said.

Walden proposed that the counties three tourism boards pool money together in order to offer $10,000 to tournament organizers to lure the tournament to Laurel Lake instead of it being held on Lake Cumberland in Somerset.

The board took the funding request under advisement.

In other business, the board:

• Approved a request for $25,000 from Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Director Bruce Carpenter to help pay for stage, lighting and sound costs association with the NIBROC Festival in August. This year will mark the 60th anniversary of NIBROC.

• Approved a request from the Corbin Garden Club and the Cumberland Falls Garden Club to use the Tourism meeting rooms for a four-district meeting of garden clubs on Oct. 27.

• Revised the position of secretary and office assistant to the board to be a "light duty" position where lifting of more than 25 lbs. is not required. Also, the previous job description was changed to ensure the secretary reports to the Tourism Commission, not to the manager of the Corbin Center for Technology and Community Activities.