Penelope Simmons is raising money as a Girl Scout Gold Award project with a goal of helping to build a splash pad at Baker City's Central Park.

BAKER CITY — Penelope Simmons is going for the gold as she raises money with a goal of helping bring a splash pad to Baker City’s Central Park.

Penelope, 17, is working toward her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn.

“It’s like the Eagle Scout for Boy Scouts and it has to be sustainable, it has to involve the community, and it has to cost nothing (for the community),” Penelope said.

She’s been a Girl Scout for 10 years, but this is her last year to participate.

To use the splash pad project for her Gold Award, she has to finish it by September 2023, said her mom, Charline Simmons.

In deciding what type of project to raise money for, Penelope settled on a splash pad, an area with sprinklers and other water features that are popular attractions during the summer in many cities.

Baker City doesn’t have a splash pad — the closest are in La Grande and Ontario.

“I just think Baker really needed one,” Penelope said “We go to other places to go use a splash pad. And why not have one here? I think Baker just really needs something besides the river to play in.”

The Powder River, which runs just east of Central Park — between Washington and Valley avenues — is a favorite spot for kids to take a dip, but Penelope said a splash pad, unlike the river, would be accessible to all kids, including those in wheelchairs.

Charline Simmons, said they are raffling off a shotgun donated by Trader Ray’s, a rooster weather beam donated by Oregon Trail Landscapes and Nursery and a full vehicle detail donated by RM Detail & Car Wash.

“We set up at the farmers market every Thursday, then we did Community Night Out on August 2, we did the parade for Shriners, and then we’re doing the car show,” Charline said. “We’ll have a table set up there with raffle items at the car show.”

The latter reference was to the Baker City Memory Cruise, set for this Saturday, Aug. 20, at Geiser-Pollman Park.

They have also discussed having fundraisers at the Christmas bazaars.

So far, the duo have raised $800 out of the approximately $300,000 they need.

“We’ve got a ways to go,” Charline said.

Joyce Bornstedt, the city’s technical administration supervisor, said the city is not involved in the Simmonses’ fundraising project, but adding a splash pad to Central Park is a city goal.

“I think it’s a good idea — there has been a lot of interest in having a splash pad for a long time,” Bornstedt said. “I think it kind of fits well within the scope of the planning for that park.”

The master conceptual plan for the park includes a water feature, she said.

Penelope said she had her Gold Award project approved by the Girl Scouts in late 2019, but then the pandemic hit, pausing the project.

She said a committee supporting the splash pad project started planning in October 2021.

The idea is to buy the splash pad items from Northwest Playground Equipment of Washington. The water features will cost $103,208, and Charline said they would need half that amount by Nov. 1 to place an order to allow installation in 2023.

“We didn’t want to start raising money for it until we had a plan because then what are you going to do with the money if it never comes to anything?” Charline said.

The daughter-mother duo are working with the Baker Lions Club which is helping them apply for grants, and holding the money they raise. The Lions Club is a tax-exempt nonprofit, so donations can be claimed on tax returns.

Anyone who wants to volunteer is welcome to contact the Simmonses through Facebook.com/bakercitysplashpad where Penelope’s phone number is available. They can also email her at Bakercitysplashpad2023@gmail.com.

People can also go to Community Bank to put in a money donation by saying they want to donate for the Lions Splash Pad.

“We’re just trying to get the community behind it,” Charline said. “It’ll be a nice thing for our community and everybody, we haven’t had anything negative about it.”

“We go to other places to go use a splash pad. And why not have one here? I think Baker just really needs something besides the river to play in.”

— Penelope Simmons, 17