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The Farmville splashpad closed for the season on Labor Day. Now the offseason repair work begins. Contractors arrived last week, pulling out the 5,000-gallon water tank used this season and putting in a new one. 

The tank recirculates water through a process similar to swimming pools. The process includes UV light disinfection, sand filtering and chlorine treatment. The gauges in the splashpad’s pump house are set to make sure the pH and oxidation-reduction remain at certain levels. In addition to monitoring these levels, a pH test is conducted at least once a day. 

The plan is also to put down some grass seed around the splashpad. If that doesn’t go as well as town staff hopes, then they’ll take a look at installing sod instead. And other construction projects involving the Farmville splashpad will take place over the next year. Design drawings should be coming in soon for the planned bathrooms at the site. The idea is to have those built in Spring 2025. Also before it opens back up next year, the town staff plans to install more sidewalks leading from the bathrooms to the trail walkway. 

During the town council’s Wednesday, Sept. 4 meeting, Farmville Town Manager Dr. Scott Davis said there were plans to plant trees over time along the trail. Also, the town staff will look at planting trees, almost in a semi-circle starting at the playground, to give that area some shade.