If having a water park in Janesville is such a good idea, why hasn't a private developers bought land and built one? Take the $1,000,000 reserved for an aquatic facility and give half of it to the Friends of Riverside Park for purchasing materials and the other half to the Janesville Police Department for extra officers solely for patrolling the park to keep the perverts out.

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Alternatively, sell the city's current white elephant, er... I mean the current hot, raking-in-the-big-bucks attraction, the Ice Arena, and use the just money from that sale to build the water park.

Another idea would be to set up a trust find of some type to take donations from all the eager citizens who want a water park here in Janesville. Surely that fund would grow so quickly as to make the concerns of the water park being an annual financial loss irrelevant.

What good is a water park in January? There really has to be a bigger need in this town!

and if I may add one more point, if the city of Janesville is NOT planning a THEME park, then why does one of the theme park industry's newsletters report the following: "Water park put in dry dock Wisconsin The current Janesville City Council will not decide the future of Janesville's water recreation facilities. That means it's likely a new water park-if approved-would not be built in time for the 2008 season. Council members postponed a decision until after a new council is seated in April." Just curious. http://www.interthemepark.com/industry_n...
page down -- or do a ctrl-f and enter janesville to easily find the post.

trehgr is simply incorrect. i'll break down his/her argument (my comments in parentheses)
1. It's not a water park; it's not Noah's Ark; it's not Magic Waters; it's not Coco Key. It is a municipal swimming pool. Accurate information is always helpful. (City Rec Dir. Bonnie Davis quoted in the Gazette 10/0/07, "The city needs more than water, she said. It needs amenities such as slides and a zero-depth entry pool. I want to see an aquatics facility built in town, but I want to see it built in the right place. I want it the right size. I want the right number of amenities" -- Hmmmm, sounds like she wants a 10 million dollar waterpark to me.)

2. Should we continue to put 200k per year down the drain, literally, to keep our current facilities functioning? (the city of Ames, IA finally replaced their municipal pool -- they didn't wait 20 years though, they waited 80!
Check the links page at savethedogpark.com and read for your self.
Additionally, Janesville is spending $225,000 on a consultant for this project alone.
This past season, Rockport costs were $138,000 -- revenue from the pool = $24k -- net cost $112,000. Our city officials know in their hearts this project is an albatross.
Don't kid yourself -- it is expensive to build it and maintain it.
The city manager stated he believes 15% of city residents will use the aquatic center -- that's less that 10,000 people. With those numbers, this project cannot possibly run in the black.
Also, Bonnie Davis said, " [Rockport] expenses would keep climbing." I agree but should we fix what we have and own or spend millions more on a new facility? And does anyone really think that an aquatic center, once built, will have super-powers to automatically maintain itself ((like the bad guy from Terminator 2))? Annual costs for an aquatic center will quadruple the current costs to maintain and repair Rockport.))

3. This is the NIMBY mentality. (No, i not only don't want it at the dog park, the city cannot afford to waste money on this project -- it will be a sucking-chest-wound for the next 20 years - or longer.)

4. Rockport pool was built on the west side over 20 years ago and the purpose was to spur growth on the west side. (how well is that working out for you? and if that is your argument, then thanks - you make my point.)

Folks: the numbers and info at www.savethedogpark.com are not pulled out of thin air. Forks, WA's small park costs $384,000 annually.
Responsible government should not build a kid's attraction next to a freeway so noisy it is nearly impossible to have a normal conversation, let alone hear the plaintive wails of some poor kid gasping for his/her last breath

An aquatic center is bad business and as a taxpayers, we cannot afford a luxury such as this.

There is a considerable amount of incorrect information 'floating' around. It's not a water park; it's not Noah's Ark; it's not Magic Waters; it's not Coco Key. It is a municipal swimming pool. Accurate information is always helpful.

If you want to make an argument about the pool, the argument should be made over the finances and whether or not it is fiscally prudent to have a swimming pool in Janesville. Take this argument one step further. Should we continue to put 200k per year down the drain, literally, to keep our current facilities functioning? Should Janesville have 1 pool, 2 pools, no pools; what's right for a community the size of Janesville? This is truly the argument, not the 'NIMBY' attitute (not in my back yard).

Rockport pool was built on the west side over 20 years ago and the purpose was to spur growth on the west side.

A water park located in Palmer Park is absurd. That park isn't big enough to expand for all of the parking needed. There are residential neighborhoods right nearby.

One comment posted indicated putting the water park on the west side where Rockport pool is located. Probably not the best location either. A water park is a huge project and traffic will be horrific. The water park needs easy access and a vast amount of land in a place where noise and traffic won't affect the serenity of neighborhoods.

I'm getting concerned about Janesville's choices for growth. Janesville isn't a tourism spot. Special shops are so few. No great restaurants providing classiness and ambience. All we seem to be getting are franchised chains and Mexican Restaurants and Chinese Restaurants. What about American restaurants, or authentic German restaurants, or more one-of-a-kind places? So much could be done to really make Janesville a place that people would like to drive to do things. Downtown is really not exciting any longer. Places like the Kings Pub need to return. A classy pub and restaurant. Classy places need to return to Janesville. Yes, Janesville has the Tallman House. Hisorical and intersting. But it is not the thrill of a lifetime.

Janesville is not a major tourism location. The visitor's center near the interstate isn't even open all year. How can tourists even get information if that center isn't available to answer questions and, more importantly, to promote the city all year long. If a water park is put in that ends up being near the interstate, that visitor's center had better be open and prepared to do what it should be doing to promote the entire city of Janesville.

So, a water park? Could be good for Janesville, just please really give thought to the absolute best location. The south side of Janesville seems to get forgotten when it comes to business development. No more distribution centers, please. And, no more used car lots. The south side would benefit greatly should a water park be developed. The best location isn't Palmer Park...it should remain as it is. It's also a place for families to take children, to play tennis and yes, walk the dog. I pity the apartment dwellers nearby should the city of Janesville ignore the wishes of its community and go ahead with such a stupid project. It does belong along the interstate. More business would be created which Janesville desparately needs. Keep a special place for dogs to get exercise.

Lets build this at the current rockport pool park and give some positive growth to the west side. This will also be an excellent spot for Janesville and outlying towns to use it. Next to the interstate it will become a spot for anyone off the interstate to use our toilet facilties and litter our park . Not to mention the undsirables that roam the I-system. Leave the dog park alone!!!Think about this people!! Millions of dollars at stake here and we are going to let some people who can't even get a sidewalk plan clarified spend our hard earned tax money on a water park! These people don't even take proper care of the parks we have. Put it in the right spot or don't do it at all!THE WEST SIDE IS THE BEST SIDE.

it's a great website - www.savethedogpark.com. we like the dog park for families and their dogs. not for some monstrosity we'll be paying to support for years to come.