Millions spent on splash pads in Hamilton

The city of Hamilton is taking a closer look at how it builds splash pads. This comes after one councillor says Hamilton is spending millions more than it has to.

Councillor Donna Skelly says she was shocked when she was told the price tag for a splash pad at Bruce Park would be almost $600 000. She says the city could have saved millions if it didn’t hire consultants to design these splash pads. There are 62 of them in Hamilton.

To prove it she went to a splash pad builder herself and got the company to draw up its own proposal with a price tag of $225 000.

“It doesn’t make sense and this is the kind of stuff people get frustrated with and these are the areas where we can identify savings and as a council we have to.” Donna Skelly.

A splash pad built at Buchanan park last year cost $570 000, including $89 000 for consulting. To compare the new splash pad at Nelson park in neighbouring Burlington, which is larger and has more features, cost $550 000 including design.

Hamilton spent $40 million on consultants last year. An auditor’s report showed the city overspent by more than 60% and failed to manage their work.

Skelly wants the Bruce park splash pad to be a pilot project for the concept of one company designing and building the splash pad rather than hiring consultants. City staff will report back to city council on November 22nd.