Two years or so from now “streaming” without accessing Netflix et al could be the thing for kids to do in Manteca on a hot summer day.

That is when city officials hope to have a splash pad in place — or at least under construction — at Woodward Park.

A recently finished community survey with over 400 respondents saw the conceptual design dubbed “The Stream” as the favored option.

It features amenities such as a water trail, water tunnel, waterfall, outdoor shower, shaded seating area, and a swing set  

The other option referred to as “The Water Garden”  has a central configuration.

Both wet zones will have ground and overhead sprays.

The stream version includes a channel with a natural stream-like theme.

It envisions dry zones with walkways, sitting areas, and boulders.

There also will be trees and shrubs incorporated into the splash pad envisioned for the heart of the park near the restrooms.

It will be encircled with a sidewalk connected with walking paths accessing other parts of the park.

The City Council has set aside $595,000 in one-time COVID relief funds toward funding the project expected to cost in excess of $1 million.

The balance is expected to come from growth fees collected for community parks the city already has on hand.

The federal funds — part of nearly $13 million the city received — must be spent for what they were committed for within a set time frame or the city loses it.

The bulk of the money went toward addressing pandemic related expenses and to backfill sales tax losses during the mandatory shutdown.

Some was used as “hazard” pay for frontline city employees who had to stay on the job such as police, fire, solid waste workers, street and parks crews, as well as those involved with keeping the waste and wastewater system running and maintained.

The city used money it didn’t need to zero out pandemic related costs to make health upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant, replace dilapidated street equipment, replace several aging police vehicles and fund a series of one time amenities as well as upgrading pavement on East Yosemite Avenue in downtown.

Those amenities include the cricket pitch installed at Doxey Park and others yet to be completed including a community garden, skate park project, and such.

Another project is solar lighting for the Woodward Park basketball court.

The poles and lights have been ordered. They are expected to arrive in Manteca in early 2025 and be installed shortly afterwards.

The splash pad will be able to recycle and treat water.

That will allow it to be used on  a regular basis except, perhaps, in  periods of severe drought.

It is also part of the city’s commitment to finish the Woodward Park masterplan improvements as initial work starts on securing a second 50-acre community park on the southwest corner of where Union Road and Lovelace Road intersect in north Manteca.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com