The splash pad at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park in Goleta is complete, but it won't open until the spring or summer.
The splash pad at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park in Goleta is complete, but it won't open until the spring or summer. Credit: Pricila Flores / Noozhawk photo

The Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park splash pad is complete, and Stow Grove Park is getting more money for phase one of park repairs, the Goleta City Council said on Tuesday.

The highly anticipated splash pad at 170 S. Kellogg Ave. in Goleta is finally done, after “a long and winding road of challenges,” Councilman James Kyriaco said.

Most recently, the City of Goleta announced that equipment failures were delaying the opening of the water feature. 

Crews working on the splash pad were running into mechanical and operational hurdles.

The water display has been in the works since 2019, when the neighborhood park opened and its plans included the splash pad. 

However, after facing challenges related to drought, construction and supply chain issues, by 2024 construction still was not complete.

“This has been a long time coming. The Old Town neighborhood has been looking for a place to keep cool and get through the hot spring, summer months,” he said, “even fall and winter.”

While construction is complete, a chain-link fence still surrounded the bright blue and green splash pad as of Wednesday. 

Kyriaco said residents can expect to see it officially open in the spring or summer.

Stow Grove Park in Goleta will undergo three phases of renovations. The City Council on Tuesday expanded the budget for phase one by more than ,000.
Stow Grove Park in Goleta will undergo three phases of renovations. The City Council on Tuesday expanded the budget for phase one by more than $65,000. Credit: Pricila Flores / Noozhawk photo

Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park isn’t the only Goleta park seeing changes.

Stow Grove Park will be undergoing three phases of renovations with design consultant KTUA. 

The City Council on Tuesday expanded the budget for phase one of improvements by more than $65,000.

The council approved phase one plans for the park at 580 N. La Patera Lane in June 2024. 

Now, because of state grant funding, the universal playground must be incorporated into phase one plans, according to JoAnne Plummer, Neighborhood Services director.

The City Council also voted in September to demolish the caretaker cottage. 

Aside from the playground, phase one improvements include the parking lot, adding a new entrance for maintenance vehicles, a walkway for people to get from the parking lot to the playground, a restroom facility, the maintenance yard and removing the caretaker cottage.

Pricila Flores is a Noozhawk staff writer and California Local News Fellow. She can be reached at pflores@noozhawk.com.