Next summer, Gilroy Gardens could be the place to be to cool down on a hot day in South County.
Per a unanimous vote at Monday’s City Council meeting, the horticulture children’s theme park plans to build a “water feature” that should be open to the public by summer 2014.
The new half-acre water play area will feature a “mommy-and-me lagoon” (a shallow, sloping swimming pool), an interactive splash pad and a hands-on water zone where children can learn about natural watersheds.
The money for the $2 million project comes from Gilroy Gardens’ budget and will have no financial impact on the City.
“When it gets to 104 to 110 degrees in Gilroy, this will be one of the loveliest places to be,” Park Manager Barb Granter said.
City Administer Tom Haglund wanted to distinguish this water feature from the construction of a major water park at Gilroy Gardens – the latter is on the back burner of the City’s to-do list.
“This is not a water park. This is more of a mommy-and-me type water place structure,” Haglund said.
