Weather permitting, the city’s new splash pad will be in operation before the end of summer, possibly by late July, South Ward Alderman Alex Monsour said.

“Because of the rain, we’ve been somewhat delayed a little bit,” Monsour, who is overseeing the project, said.

He said employees for contractor Planet Recess are working 14 hours a day on the project.

Planet Recess of Baker, Louisiana, was hired in May to build the new splash pad at the park for $534,117. After the bid was awarded, company owner Treynor McAdams said a crew from his company was already at the park.

“They are projecting they can get the pad open sometime this month, but if we continue to get this rain … rain and concrete do not mix well, and we’re in the concrete stage now,” Monsour said. “It’s progressing well. Hopefully, we won’t get very much more rain. I’m staying in contact with them on a day-to-day basis.

“We’re trying to get it open as quickly as we can, so that people can enjoy it while it’s hot.”

Presently, Monsour said, he is working to ensure the contractor and the company responsible for a sound system for the pad stay in contact. He said the plan is to have the water coming from the splash pad synchronized to music, adding he wants the pad to provide a water and light show after it opens.

“The water and light show I want for the late afternoons, but the music and the water will be during the day so you can hear everything, but I really want the lighting for the late afternoons so people can come out and watch it and enjoy it,” Monsour said. “I got that from traveling to Branson (Missouri) and Las Vegas (Nevada). I was really in awe at the people, they like to watch the water and the light.”

For 15 years, the old splash pad was a popular and well-used attraction for the city, but was shut down last year for almost one month, from June 30 to July 26, while city workers installed rebuilt pumps and filter motors. It was later demolished because of problems with the pad’s pipe system.