What to Consider When Considering a Splash Pad

Like many communities, you are always looking to provide added recreational value to the people that make your community great.  As summer quickly approaches, many are thinking about outdoor entertainment.  Where it gets tricky is how to provide family fun without breaking the bank.  Enter the Splash Pad! Quite possibly the aquatic industry’s hottest trend in the past few years, Splash Pads are popping up like dandelions, and with good reason.

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Here are a few things to consider when planning your community Splash Pad:

Visit other aquatic facilities and see what works for them. Talk to patrons and staff to gather their opinions on benefits, hottest features, and usage. When planning, remember your splash pad area is more than just a wet playground. The use of water involves completely different considerations than erecting a playground structure.

Splash Pads are not one size fits all. What age groups will your Splash Pad be geared toward? Two of the initial decisions is to decide your system type and surface type.

System type –  Work with your contractor to determine the best option for you and your community.  There are generally two systems: the flow-through and recirculating systems.

Surface type  – This is an important consideration when planning your Splash Pad.  Brushed concrete, for example, is a popular Splash Pad surface that provides safety and accessibility to the area.

You might consider designing at least three sectors, with each featuring elements tailored to specific age groups.

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Splash Pad Section Suggestions:

• Sector 1: Colors, and shapes, and textures, oh my! Toddlers respond to these, and a smartly planned area could provide safe, stimulating play time.  Keep in mind though, this area should not appear threatening to the little tikes and should feature mists and soft streams.
• Sector 2: This zone should encourage social interaction and would be an ideal family zone. With options such as water tunnels and dump buckets, you can inspire imaginative play through family interaction.
• Sector 3: Get ‘em movin’! This zone should provide high-energy entertainment with features designed to develop teamwork and competitive play.

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Providing Great Flexibility

A Splash Pad provides for an easy, less expensive way to keep it fresh by adding additional features from season-to-season. Add above ground features like additional spray nozzles, or even fiber-optic lighting can greatly enhance your splash pad.

These projects provide for a relatively inexpensive social, community building space for all generations. The average new construction cost (varies by design) is between $65,000 to $250,000+. Lower maintenance costs are another great benefit. Operating a splash pad system for 6-8 hours/day is around $40/month, depending on water rates in your area.

Splash Pads are user-activated and leave little to no standing water and generally, no staffing is required resulting in reduced staffing costs.

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How do I get started?

• Contact and contract a proven, professional aquatic construction company, like Premier Aquatic Construction – Indiana’s Industry Leader in Commercial Aquatics
• It is always important to check local and state codes in your area, as well as, utility rates and zoning requirements.
• These are only a few things to consider when planning a Splash Pad, by working with Premier Aquatic Construction, you can be sure that the design features and quality of construction will provide for a colorful, entertaining community hot spot for years to come!

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Let’s get to work! To begin the planning phase of your community Splash Pad, contact (information provided below) Premier Aquatic Construction (the dba of Leisure Pool & Spa Supply, Inc.) and put our decades of experience and expertise to work for your community. [Click to contact us]