Photo: theherald.com
As the summer heats up, Panama City will be offering children a chance to cool down.
A city first, the Vortex Splashpad will feature both ground-level and above-ground water attractions on site at the Martin Luther King Recreation Center, 705 E. 14th St. More...
Make sure your Splashpad is open on time and ready for summer by following this Splashpad start up procedure:
PREPARE THE SPLASHPAD WATER FEATURES
At the start of each season you must remove the winter caps from the Splashpad water features and attach the appropriate spray nozzles to each feature.
Before installing spray nozzles on the water features, you should clean and lubricate all threads with petroleum jelly to prevent stripping and cross threading. Store the winter caps for future use. More...
Image source: AnnArbor.com
A new Vortex Splashpad® is set to open Memorial Day weekend at Independence Lake County Park in northwestern Washtenaw County, MI that planners hope is the catalyst to change the way people use the park.
Work has been ongoing for two years to build the $4 million Blue Heron Bay water playground about mid-way from the park entrance to the beach on Independence Lake in Webster Township.More...
Youngsters visiting Chicot State Park in Louisiana this summer will find a new way to have some -- literally -- cool fun in a water playground (also known as a Splashpad)
The water playground includes “watergarden flowers, loop cannons, fountains, aqua domes, a pavilion and bathrooms,” according to a news release of the Louisiana Office of State Parks. More...
“The Splashpad® is a long-awaited park amenity that will be a nice addition to our park system,” said Joe Kays, director Claremore Parks and Recreation.
Claremore Parks and Recreation Department will be funding the project that was budgeted in July 2012 from the Sales Tax Park Fund. Councilors accepted the low bid from Jonesplan LLC and Powerplay LLC
The water playground will be located at Claremore Lake Park near the first metal shelter and the first phase is scheduled for completion in July 2013. As a part of the planned development, the new feature will make use of existing facilities to provide additional conveniences for park guest, according to Kays. The 1,600 square foot Splashpad® will feature several water play structures including three Ombrellos, three Bamboo Water Cannons, two Water Tunnels, three Ground Geysers, Aqua Domes, Jet Sprays and Spidey Sprays. More...
Article by Cathy Kryzcka originally published in Today's Parent Magazine
Pamela Taylor, early childhood development instructor at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, says, "Young children are drawn to water. They're curious about it. It's a universally appealing play material with unlimited possibilities."
What are some of the possibilities? What does a toddler get from playing with water, besides wet? More...
In this follow up to part 3 of our 3 part series on Sustainable Splashpad® Design, we will examine some of the other environmental issues that surround sustainable water playground design.
EFFICIENT SYSTEMS
Choosing the appropriate Water Management Solutions is essential to creating a reliable Splashpad® with high operational efficiencies. Vortex offers a wide range of Water Management Solutions that are specifically designed and built to address the needs of various project scenarios. These engineered solutions take into account such critical elements as water flow, wastewater management, health and environmental regulations, operating and maintenance expectations and environmental impact. There are two main categories of solutions available: Highflow recirculation solutions and Smartflow solutions using municipal wastewater systems or water reuse systems. Both solutions have various options that our team of consultants can assist with in the selection process to best meet your project needs. More...
In this follow up to part 2 of our 3 part series on Sustainable Splashpad® Design, we will examine some of the other social issues that surround sustainable water playground design.
Active Free Play
Play is a cherished part of childhood that offers children important developmental benefits and gives parents the opportunity to fully engage with their children
Unfortunately, the value of free play has declined in favor of organized activities and sports. There are many reasons for this phenomenon: More...
In this follow up to part 1 of our 3 part series on Sustainable Splashpad® Design, we will examine some of the other economic issues that surround sustainable design.
Increasing Facility Usage
Sustainable design principles encourage improving the performance of a product or service without diminishing overall quality. When applied to public parks & recreation as well as aquatic facilities, it means making sure your facilities are not idle and are actively being used by your community. When compared to traditional aquatic amenities, Splashpads can help increase facility usage in several ways including: More...
Why should your community have a Splashpad®? Aside from the obvious intense fun that a Splashpad® Water Playground provides kids of all ages, the video above illustrates some of the other reasons why your community should have a Splashpad®.
These reasons include:
- Splashpads enhance quality of life
- Splashpads develop active bodies and minds
- Splashpads build a better world through social experience
- Splashpads attract home buyers
- Splashpads will make your community the talk of other towns.