by Geoff Fox
Whenever there’s a storm in the area where lightning is visible or standing water is noticeable, Hancock town officials close the splashpad in Widmeyer Park.
When that happens, the town posts on their social media page to alert people about the closure. The posts appear to often trigger complaints.
Hancock Councilman David Kerns said when the splashpad is closed, there’s probably a reason.
“If the splashpad gets turned off, please check your weather app,” Kerns said. “It’s going to tell you that, probably, there’s a bad thunderstorm coming.”
It’s not the rain part of the storm Kerns is worried about as people are already getting wet, it’s the lightning they care about.
If town officials get lightning alerts on their on their phones of lightning within 15 miles, the splashpad is being turned off.
It’s the rule, he said.
Mayor Roland Lanehart said he had several messages on his phone and an alert on his phone about lightning in the area.
People began “blowing up” his phone asking why the splashpad was closed.
Kerns reiterated if the splashpad is turned off, people need to check their weather apps.
“You shouldn’t be there. We want you to leave,” he said about the splashpad being turned off due to the storm. “We don’t want you around lightning.”
Kerns pointed out the structures on the splashpad could act like lightning rods with a lot of water around during the storm.
“We’re trying to do it for everybody’s safety, so we just ask that you do a little diligence on your part,” he said. “I’d appreciate it.”
In recent posts, town officials posted that the splashpad is also closed if there is standing water, which would require a lifeguard to be on duty, which the town does not have.
The drains for the splashpad go into a holding tank, which can overflow on the pad once it is full, town officials said in a reply to a comment on the post.
