MANSFIELD – Mansfield residents, and particularly their youngsters are going to have a new summer attraction to enjoy in 2018, thanks in large part to Warren Rupp Inc. and the Mansfield Area YMCA.
Warren Rupp president Josh Stiever, global sales director Meghan Bacin and other employees presented a $50,000 check Friday to the Mansfield Area YMCA for the construction of a water splash pad park in 2018.
“I am beyond excited for such a significant gift and for the support from a local business,” said Cristen Gilbert, chief executive officer of the YMCA. “This gift gets the Y one step closer to meeting our campaign goal and shows the excitement behind such an important project for the community.”
The water splash pad park is one component of its 150th anniversary Projects Campaign. The campaign, which kicked off in January, hopes to raise 1.1 million for the splash pad and three other projects.
“Unfortunately we are down to one city pool at Liberty Park,” Gilbert said in a January 2017 interview. “With Linden (Pool) closing, it really put a strain on families with small children. We’re taking them out of Richland County, so I think a need to keep families here and provide for our community is really exciting news.”
The 3,000 square-foot park will be built outside along the south side of the YMCA’s Scholl Road building. It will cost an estimated $570,000, according to a recent press release.
The YMCA is contracting with Rain Drop Products, LLC to build the park, which will have an “Under the Sea” theme. It will include 15 or more water sprays and a nearby covered pavilion.
“We do want a park-like setting so we will have more than just the splash pad. We will have a nice fence enclosing the area. We have had some donors interested in donating park benches,” Gilbert said in January. “The landscaping will be taken care of — it’s going to be more of a park feel than just the water features.
Construction will begin in early 2018. The park is expected to open in summer 2018.
The YMCA anticipates its campaign goal will be reached by the end of the year. A press release said information on other major donations will be announced then.
The 150th anniversary Projects Campaign also includes a gymnasium renovation, parking lot repaving and a program for cancer survivors.
In addition to Warren Rupp’s monetary gift, company announced that its employees will volunteer their time in the YMCA’s Serving Up Summer program, which provides food to hungry children.
“The help and support from the employees at Warren Rupp provides children and their families food each weekend while school is out for the summer,” Gilbert said. “For some, this is the only food they have access to when they’re not in our care each day.”
During the summer, children in need no longer receive daily meals through their school’s free and reduced meal programs. To make sure they don’t go hungry, the Y stepped in.
Each of the 160 children in the Y’s Summer Enrichment Program takes home a bag of food items on Fridays. The grocery bags are filled with snacks, cereal, non-perishables and fresh produce from the Y’s community garden.
Warren Rupp employees will tend to the gardens, pick up non-perishable items from local suppliers and fill food bags. Serving Up Summer runs for nine weeks.
Warren Rupp Inc. is located at 800 N. Main St. in Mansfield. It employs about 125 people to manufacture pumps.
The company was founded in 1965 by Warren E. Rupp and Charles E. Young Jr. It’s parent company, IDEX Corporation, is based in Illinois.
