NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A park near downtown Nashville used to be a thriving hub; now it's in need of some love.

Neighbors want to see change, but city leaders say it might be a while.

It was once called Cumberland Park, now it's named Wasioto Park.

The park still hosts events every now and then, but the sprayground, which was a community favorite, hasn't worked since it was damaged in the Christmas Day bombing five years ago.

Wasioto Park sits sandwiched between Nissan Stadium and the Cumberland River.

Annie Klaver is the founder of River Queen Voyages, a kayak and party boat rental company that operates nearby.

She told News 2 it's heartbreaking to see kids and their parents walk up to the park just to realize the splash pad still doesn't work.

Klaver said the park has so much potential to become lively again, and it's disappointing that fixing it hasn't been a priority for Metro Parks.

"It's important. I think it's a public service. In a city this big, we should be doing much more than we do to have free and safe water access for kids and adults," Klaver said.

However, Metro Parks says that fixing it wouldn't be cheap: It would likely cost around $2.5 million to repair.

"An important consideration for both the department and the city is whether to spend the money to repair the vault, which sits next to the river, without knowing if the East Bank development will significantly impact the park to the point that the investment is totally negated," Metro Parks told News 2.

Metro Parks officials said they are hopeful that they can get the issue resolved soon, but they have no timeline at the moment.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/middle-tn-neighborhood-news/what-does-the-future-hold-for-wasioto-parks-splash-pad/