What to do with your aging community wading pool
What to do with your aging community wading pool
There’s one in every community: a concrete relic, long past its heyday, sitting vacant for most of the year. Once, these facilities served as main attractions in public parks, but as times and family dynamics change, wading pools are no longer attracting the engagement they once did.
Wading into the Challenges
Decades-old planning approaches for parks and recreation don’t always translate so well to present-day community needs. Back in the 70s and 80s, notions of play value were much different than today. Facing even greater distractions and increased competition, communities must now work twice as hard to keep families engaged.
Among the many challenges faced by today’s wading pools are the Big Five:
- Burdensome maintenance and water management costs
- Compliance and legal issues
- Lack of community engagement and infrequent usage
- Not meeting the needs of older children
- “Ghost town” syndrome caused by years of neglect
Wading pools generally leave footprints of approximately 1,000 to 2,000 square feet. For aquatics and recreational directors, a full-on revamp might seem like a massive undertaking – so, what’s a community to do?
Splashpad Solutions
This is where Splashpad solutions come into play. These spaces can transform your community park into a main attraction. Fully replacing the wading pool, a Splashpad comes equipped with a slew of different water jets and play features, significantly increasing play value. The spray facilities appeal to much wider age groups, giving everyone from toddlers to teens play stations to call their own. And, each age group has a suitable play space that ingeniously interacts with other features.
Splashpads also offer dynamic play experiences that today’s families are asking for. Just look at Wilmot Park in Fredericton, New Brunswick. When the community finally decided to replace its century-old wading pool, parks and recreation knocked on doors to speak directly with children and parents. The feedback they received fell into two categories: 1) working parents wanted longer operational hours for more play-time; and 2) children wanted a space that felt more age appropriate.
Recognizing how Splashpad designs could easily address both these demands, the city immediately reached out to Vortex. Working closely with the community, the aquatic play specialists produced a new facility with three different play areas. Each zone is designed with a specific age group and energy-level in mind. Seamlessly combined, the areas provide children and families with extremely versatile social and developmental play opportunities for all ages. And, by transforming the wading pool into a zero-depth space, the new spray area can remain open considerably longer at no additional cost to the city. Attendance instantly grew.
Cost/Benefit Analysis
While fully replacing a wading pool with a Splashpad may seem like a big undertaking, aquatics directors must keep in mind that “bigger” doesn’t necessarily mean “more costly.” The reality is that many communities actually save money by installing one.
Splashpad installations can reduce water usage and lower maintenance costs. Moreover, a Splashpad ensures nobody is left out. The zero-depth design is fully wheelchair accessible and doesn’t require a lifeguard. And, with smart features available such as LED lighting, Splashpads enhance a park’s attractiveness and safety after sunset. With features like these, communities can even implement a modest pay-for-play model – something families will embrace when they see the added value.
Opportunity to Engage with Your Community – and Neighbours
Splashpads bring with them a return to the golden age of community engagement. Highly customizable, these cutting-edge designs can help drive in the crowds and create positive word-of-mouth in neighbouring communities.
Kathelyn Vézina has expertise in delivering aquatic play solutions that deliver high recreational value for communities while also taking into consideration space constraints, safety, environmental care, and public finances. She can be reached at 1-877-586-7839 ext. 302 or via www.vortex-intl.com.
