Dreams come true: Ground broken for Hodag Park splash pad

Approximately two years ago, the Kiwanis board started to think about a big project the community could use, said Brandon Karaba of the Rhinelander Kiwanis Club. As previously reported in the River News, the project was made possible, in part, through a $150,000 donation from Bill Vancos, who has said he simply loves the sound of children laughing and playing. Just last week, the first steps were made to bring more of those sounds to echo across Boom Lake from Hodag Park.

Rhinelander city administrator Patric Reagan speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for a splash pad at Hodag Park Wednesday, Aug. 6. (Photo by Bob Mainhardt for the River News)

Karaba is serving as point man for the project and spoke to a group gathered at the ground breaking for the new splash pad being built at Hodag Park. Several years ago, there were some initial plans drawn, but the price tag was higher than the club felt they could raise at the time. 

At that point, partners came together with plans for a 13,000 square foot playground, Karaba said. But when he approached Vancos about those plans, Vancos told him what he really wanted was a splash pad. 

“It was one of those goose bump moments, something you just don’t anticipate,” Karaba said when Vancos asked if a donation of $150,000 would be enough. “Between the city, the donors coming at me right away, I knew the next piece was we needed a general contractor. Numbers are easy. I can do that all day, but we needed a general contractor to make sure we are doing it the right way.” He said that was where KSW came in. 

Mike Romportl with the Rhinelander Lions Club spoke at the ground breaking as well. He spoke about the plans that had been brought up previously for a splash pad, and the Lions, at that time, had pledged to help, and when they saw the plans Karaba had drawn up, they were committed to help. Romportl thanked Karaba for taking the lead on the project and the Kiwanis for championing an amenity for the community that many had thought about for several years. 

“It occurs to me that, in good communities, nice things happen,” said city administrator Patrick Reagan. “In great communities, fantastic things happen. This is a great community. This is a fantastic thing.” He also commended Karaba for not taking no for an answer through all of the questions and concerns the city and others had. “He was the quarterback. You’re looking at a Hall of Fame quarterback right there,” he said of Karaba. 

He also thanked other large sponsors such as Rhinelander GM, Superior Diesel, George and Sondra Juetten and the many other donors and partners who were making the splash pad possible. Karaba said the hope was to have the splash pad complete in four weeks. Of course, being heavily weather dependent, he said it may be closer to five or six weeks. Before long, the dream of Vancos, and so many others will come true, and laughs and shrieks of joy will ring out throughout Hodag Park and across Boom Lake.

Freelancer Bob Mainhardt contributed to this report.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached via email at [email protected].