What to Consider When Considering a Splashpad

Posted by Marc Yoder on

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.

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

LaPorte Plaza 618 Spray Pad - A Project by Leisure Pool & Spa Supply/Premier Aquatic Construction, DBA
LaPorte Plaza 618 Spray Pad – A Project by Leisure Pool & Spa Supply/Premier Aquatic Construction, DBA

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.

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.

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.

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!

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]

The Hoosier State of the Hotel Pool

Posted by Marc Yoder on

As someone who enjoys both travel and enjoying a refreshing swim or relaxing in a spa after a long day, I set out to find the best-of-the-best in hotel pools.  Along the way, while discovering incredible pools throughout the country, I discovered two things: 1) there seemed to be 5 common core themes that set pools apart from the less-than-spectacular and 2) Indiana is really missing the mark in these areas. Utilization of the Infinity Pool, the view, the uniqueness of décor, the vibe that’s being portrayed, and the eccentric design aspects (such as the shape, liner imprint, and location) comprise the all-star line-up that put them in a league of their own. Let’s dive deeper into what really brings that “wow” factor to hotel guests.

Infinity Pool

Quite simply, this is the “it” product with pools today.  If your property sits in a location with a view that cannot or should not be tamed, the Infinity Pool is a must-have!  Whether it’s the mountain range, ocean view, or city light, the Infinity Pool allows your guest to relax in the pool while appreciating the smart location in which you placed your hotel.  Not to mention, it gives the illusion that your pool flows directly into the breath-taking landscape which, in my opinion, is pretty freakin’ sweet!

The View

We touched on it with “Why an Infinity Pool?” Views are crucial to the overall experience of travellers.  We don’t want to look at the same concrete jungle we just travelled on for the last 8 hours.  No, my friend; we want to escape.  Think about it: how many of us travel just for the escapism aspect, dodging responsibility to take a deep breath?  One thing I have always found incredibly important when selecting a hotel is whether or not it felt like home away from home.  Just as it is with my home, the view is crucial in creating this comfortable escape from reality.

Uniqueness of Décor

Let’s face it, your ADA Chair Lift, while important to have, does not count as décor!  That plastic table that used to be white but is now an eggshell, at best, is not flattering to your pool area.  Yet, throughout Indiana, this is what you see with a few exceptions. انواع العاب الورق   For example, the Wyndham Garden Inn located in Warsaw, IN recognized an opportunity to “wow” their travellers with their pool area by creating an “old town” theme (pictured to the left).  Rather than move their hotel to a location with a more appealing view, they brought the view to their hotel pool!

Portrayed Vibe

I get it Indiana; we are not exactly a coastal destination state or surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges.  But, just like in life, we can either use that as an excuse or create the environment travellers seek.  For instance, check out this incredible beach vibe that the McCarren Hotel in New York City created (picture to the right).  That’s right; rather than move their hotel to a beach resort property, they brought the beach resort view right to the heart of New York City!  So, what does this mean, Indiana?  Stop making excuses and start making progress.  The standard 12’ x 24’ rectangle just isn’t cutting it anymore. اوراق الكوتشينة   Instead of changing the size of your pool, try changing the style of it!

Design Aspects

If you are building new, this is your chance to put your style in concrete (literally)!  Some of the most incredible hotel pools I have seen are generally not a simple rectangle with a standard liner but have a distinct shape and an even more distinct liner.  Take the Montage Beach Hotel in Laguna Beach, CA (pictured below).  They actually accomplished branding themselves with the image embedded into their liner.  No doubt, I will remember this pool a year from now whether I visit it or not.

What to do… what to do?  Simply change the landscape of hotel pools in Indiana, literally and figuratively.  The first step is making the decision to improve the overall experience of your guests via your pool. مراهنات رياضية   Second, contact a trusted aquatic contractor with decades of experience (by the way, if you don’t know of one, I have a suggestion).  Finally, execute!  It’s time for Indiana hotels to deploy some self-awareness and realize that we have neglected our travellers of a crucial aspect of their overall experience in staying with us: delivering an unforgettable stay with an incredible pool!