The spray park at Shreveport's River View Park has been inoperable all summer and I wanted to know when it would be fixed. I sent an email to the Mayor and SPAR Director Shelly Ragle to find out what is going on with the repairs and got this response from Ragle:

"The spray park went down the first time after the flooding damaged the fountain in 2015.  We got it back up that year with some limited use into 2016.  In late 2017, we began limited repairs in hopes of having it operation by this summer, but the floods earlier this year really affected the fountains and they are back down and we are now in need of major renovations and replacement.  The cost to make the repairs is estimated to be between $200-250,000.  At this time we are not budgeted in our operating account to make those repairs.  We have done extensive work in Riverfront Park, including sand removal; re-sodding the grass that was lost due to flooding around the stage; repair of irrigation and all lighting , including the artistic roses; landscaping; and the biggest project repairing the waterfall."

Erin McCarty
Erin McCarty
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The cost to repair the spray park is $250,000? That makes me wonder what we spent to put the spray park in to begin with? It doesn't look like it would be a wise financial decision to repair this spray park in light of the fact that the area is prone to flooding.

Ragle did tell us spray parks are operational at several other city parks:

AC Steere Park, AB Palmer Park, Airport Park, David Raines Park, Hattie Perry Park, Lakeside Park and Querbes.

The city also operates swimming pools at Airport Park, Bill Cockrell, David Raines, Querbes, and Southern Hills.

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