Hillsboro Council buys land for splash pad
Staff writer
Hillsboro city council members voted to purchase land for a community splash pad, still in the fundraising stage, during their Nov. 19 council meeting.
Originally the brainchild of Staci Silhan, a Hillsboro native who moved back to town with her family a couple years ago, the splash pad is an idea she wanted to develop to provide an economical family activity and attract visitors to the downtown area.
The city agreed to pay $10,500 to buy back land earlier sold to physician Michael Reeh, who has not developed the plot adjacent to his clinic at 104 N. Washington St.
Silhan envisions a community plaza with a splash pad as one feature. In Concordia, two restaurants sprang up next to a community splash pad, increasing food sales tax revenue, Silhan earlier said.
“I just thank you very much,” Silhan told council members. “I was hoping for the location of it to be central to the community.”
A hearing to amend the city budget will be Dec. 18, and January’s council meetings will be held the second and fourth Tuesdays instead of the first and third.