If all goes as planned, children will be running through the sprinklers at the county's new splash pad come spring.

Lisa Henson, Dawson County's parks and recreation director, outlined the Rotary Club of Dawson County's plan to build the water feature at Rock Creek Park during last week's county commission meeting.

With the Rotary Club's signature gold and blue emblem as its focal point, the splash pad would be near the toddler playground, at the front of the park, and surrounded by benches.

Though still in the initial planning stages, the 47-foot concrete splash pad would feature numerous sprinklers and zero depth. It would be operated by a push button, which would release the fountains in 10-minute increments.

"I'm very excited that the Rotary Club would want to invest in our community," said Commissioner James Swafford.

The 60-plus member club voted in July to proceed with the plan at an estimated cost of $36,000. The club also approved spending an additional $1,000 per year on upkeep and maintenance.

Vernon Smith, president, said the park is something both the club and the community will be proud to have.

"The longevity of it, the quality of it, the image it projects ... is extremely important to the Rotary Club," he said. "Our new Rotarians, part of their responsibilities will be to go by and monitor that park on a weekly basis, so they will be checking and maintaining the image of Rotary."

In addition, the Etowah Water and Sewer Authority has agreed to donate up to $5,000 per year in water use for the splash pad, making the county's expense about $100 a year for electricity, according to Henson.

Commission Chairman Mike Berg commended the club and the authority for the proposed contribution, noting that it's "a significant investment for them."

The plan is to have a grand celebration and open the splash pad for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

"It's a great project," said Commissioner Gary Pichon.

Commissioners are expected to vote to approve the project during their next regular meeting, set for 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at the Dawson County Government Center.