The council voted unanimously to reopen the water crossings.

“I strongly favor keeping it open,” Councilman Dave Flattery said.

Both crossings are now closed, and they will not reopen immediately. Some features will be built to force traffic to slow way down before going through the western-most crossing, which is the first one a vehicle comes to after entering the park from Williams Drive. The eastern-most crossing might never reopen because it is so badly deteriorated.

Monday’s council vote apparently ended a debate over the crossings that has cropped up occasionally over the last 20 years. Opponents of opening them have argued that it isn’t safe to have vehicles going through water that kids like to play in. Those who favor the crossings say they improve accessibility and safety in the park.

The council vote also fulfilled the hopes of the Fort Dodge Rotary Club, which had requested that the crossings be reopened. That club adopted the park 27 years ago. Since that time it has invested several hundred thousand dollars and countless volunteer hours into it.

“Our reputation shows we’ve done a good job of stewardship,” said Dr. Matt Maggio, a member of the Rotary Club who addressed the council Monday.

He said use of the park has gone “way up” since the club adopted it.

Maggio said there has never been an accident at the water crossings.

Kraig Barber, another member of the club, told the council that the crossings should be reopened for historical, access and safety reasons.

During a council workshop Monday, eight people, most of whom are Rotary Club members, spoke in favor of reopening the crossings.

The city’s Parks, Recreation and Forestry Commission opposed the reopening.

Lori Branderhorst, the director of parks, recreation and forestry, said commission members believe opening the crossings creates a dangerous conflict between vehicles and pedestrians. She added that reopening the crossings could create a liability issue for the city.

After hearing all of the comments during the workshop, Councilman Jeff Halter said he believes it is his responsibility to vote in a way that reflects what his constituents want.

“To me, it’s very loud and clear that people want to drive through the water,” he said.

The water crossings are just one element in a master plan developed for the park by ISG, of Des Moines. It provided two options for the crossings: closing them or leaving them open.

The council voted unanimously to adopt that plan with the option for keeping the water crossings open. In adopting the plan, the council also called for placing more lighting in the park.

Other elements of the plan include things like a concrete patio and more parking at the shelter house near Williams Drive. It also calls for storm sewer work to prevent rain water from rushing down off Summitt Avenue and causing erosion in the park.

ISG also developed a plan for Exposition Park on North Seventh Street. It calls for creating a sidewalk loop throughout the park. Artwork, along with markers providing information on the trees and plants found in the park, will be placed along that loop.

That plan was adopted unanimously with no discussion.