By BRIAN SMITH
HUDSON OAKS — After a successful 2012 where the city began work on projects to improve their branding and marketing, work on bringing business to the city as well as improving water capacity is paramount in 2013, city officials said.
City Administrator Sheri Campbell-Husband said work on the Splash Mountain Wild West Water Park has started and company officials are still confident on a Memorial Day Weekend grand opening for the 14-acre facility, located adjacent to the Cinema 10 Theater complex. Work on the park was delayed for a time because of funding issues, which caused some to question whether the park was still on track.
A ceremonial ground breaking is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8.
“We’re hoping to capitalize on what kind of business and activity the water park will bring it our city,” Campbell-Husband said.
Assistant City Administrator Patrick Lawler said utility work will finish up this week with dirt work on the park to begin soon.
Implementing the city’s Comprehensive Plan will also be a goal for 2013. The plan, which was approved last February, is a flexible guideline. Campbell-Husband said a retreat is also planned for work on the city’s Strategic Plan, which is used to focus on a group’s goals and can be very helpful for planning come budget time.
City officials spent a good chunk of 2012 working on improving their marketing and branding. A new logo, which will be finalized later this year, will be combined with median improvements on U.S. Highway 180 designed to create a more modern look. Once finalized, the new logo will be placed on city stationery and street signs throughout town.
Work on the medians, which will include two large “Welcome to” signs at the ends of town along with new landscaping, began in November and should be finished later this spring. Holes for the irrigation system in the medians have been put in recently. The area from I-20 Exit 414 to Lakeshore Drive on the east end of town began in late November while work on the western end of the highway commenced in early December with few, if any, lane closures.
Lawler said work on the second median at Oak Ridge Drive is ongoing with concrete work being put in presently and landscaping work to follow. Work is progressing well, Lawler said, with last week’s weather issues causing very minor delays.
City officials are also planning on construction of the Red Eagle Water Plant in 2013. Lawler said design work on the plant is ongoing with construction expected to commence sometime this summer.
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