BERWYN – A section of Cuyler Avenue that separates park swing sets at the Ben Brancato playground and a splash pad located in the boulevard between the eastbound and westbound lanes of 19th Street in Berwyn will soon be removed to bring both sides together.

City officials approved a request from the North Berwyn Park District to annex Cuyler Avenue between the eastbound and westbound lanes of 19th Street to join together the two properties that will make up the new Hett Park.

The former Cuyler Pool site will include a new splash area where the park's studio buidling was once located.

The former pool house has been remodeled into the dance and fitness studio.

Construction on the zero-depth splash area will begin this week.

Executive Director Joe Vallez said the idea to join the Ben Brancato playground, named after former Alderman Ben Brancato, with the splash pool area is a safety move more than anything else.

"That's one of the main reasons we are doing it," Vallez said. "The number one priority here is the safety of the children."

The spray area is expected to be a popular spot this summer, Vallez added.

"It will be definitely safer and somewhere parents can go to the park and read, and not worry about there kids being in five feet of water," he said.

Berwyn traffic engineer Nicole Campbell said annexing the small portion of Cuyler Avenue will not come without any affect on the the area's traffic.

"We will definitely see a bit of an increase on the adjacent streets," Campbell said. "We have been doing traffic counts in the area and will see some of those counts increase. We'll reassess traffic control in the neighborhood, might need to lower speeds [and] reassess all stop-controlled intersections."

When complete, Hett Park will cost $12.2 million, paid for with an allocation from the Illinois Capital Improvement Bill, which was secured through the efforts of State Rep. Martin Sandoval, Vallez said.

The spray area is the third and last phase of the park's plan, and should be completed within two to three months.

Other improvements include additional lighting, protective guard rails, sidewalks and plantings, so the annexed road is not mistaken for a street. The pavement will also be removed to accommodate plantings.