A destination that draws people from neighboring towns is the vision for a splash pad in Perry set to open next summer. The  nearly-funded $350,000 project was initiated by a group of dedicated local citizens who are bringing the vision to life. The committee has raised more than $220,000 for the project, $5,000 of which is from a recent grant from the Central Community Foundation.

“We are hoping to have a groundbreaking in the next few months,” said committee member Melanie McGuire. “We believe that much of the underground, concrete and electrical work can be done this winter, and hope to open the splash pad next summer.”

The splash pad will be located in Lions Park on the west side of town. “The location is close to the BMAC baseball fields and city pool,” McGuire said. “We really think it could help revitalize this part of town.” Fundraising and planning have been underway since 2019. McGuire said the committee wanted to get residents’ opinions to make the splash pad a place families want to experience. 
“The splash pad will be a tremendous asset to the Perry community,” said Mignon Bolay, Central Community Foundation District 3 board member. “The Central Community Foundation is happy to support such worthwhile projects.”

Grants from the Central Community Foundation are made possible by Central Rural Electric Cooperative members who round up their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar. These funds are put into the Foundation, which distributes them to individuals and organizations in need throughout Central’s seven-county service area. 

The Central Community Foundation is a charitable organization established by Central Rural Electric Cooperative to administer a program called Operation Round Up. The foundation has five fields of interest: healthcare, education, disaster relief, personal need and community purpose. Visit www.MyCentral.coop and click on the Operation Round Up page under the Community tab for more information.