COMMENTARY: City's Plan for $6M Splash Park Lacks Transparency

FOIA response contains few additional details about project's source, scope or funding

Open pasture land could be the future site of a $6M children’s splash park built with borrowed funds. (Image: George Arbogust, Williamsburg Independent)

The plan to build a children’s splash park in downtown Williamsburg seems to be moving forward with limited public awareness or input. And even the scant details released to the public seem to keep changing.

What is known is that the City proposes to borrow $6M to build the park on land owned by Colonial Williamsburg at the corner of N. Henry St. and Prince George St. The site is currently open pasture land, where a couple of cows grazed recently.

What isn’t publicly known still includes:

• How much the project will actually cost the City - the cost figure has already changed several times

• The scope and appearance of the park - no renderings or drawings have been released

• The agreement with Colonial Williamsburg - details about spending public money to build on private land have not been disclosed