Splashpad 101

While families are keeping budgets in mind and traveling less, they are also looking for places to enjoy the outdoors closer to home. Throughout these economic challenges, park and recreation departments are now thinking of innovative and sustainable ways to entertain families and children.

Splashpad installations can bring alternative solutions similar to a waterpark experience to the community.

For a park and recreation official, the planning and installing phases of a splashpad can seem challenging at first. However, with the right knowledge and guidelines, your community will be gathered with laughter, endless possibilities and crowds in no time. 

While some of the products referred to are specific to Vortex International, the same basic concepts are available from most manufacturers.

1. How can you offer fun to all ages?

Splashpad solutions offer a complete range of innovative multi-level, overhead, interactive play products and slides designed to provide exciting fun for all age groups. These solutions integrate beautifully with the architectures and multi-functional aspect of aquatic facilities, parks and family recreation centers. In addition, Splashpads are also universally accessible, therefore children with disabilities can join in on the fun as well. In order to meet and exceed all of the needs of the different age groups, park and recreation departments should consider having three distinct activity bay areas within a Splashpad installation.

Within the “Toddler Bay,” infants and toddlers discover the water through gentle mists and non-intimidating streams. This type of Bay encourages the little ones to engage in cognitive development, sensorial discovery, motor skills development and socialization through interaction. Children interact by activating and rotating play products and engaging in streaming and arching jets coming out of appropriately scaled product elements. Unique products feature attractive vibrant colors and are complemented by non-intimidating water effects. Often enough, the Toddler Bay has abstract representations of familiar characters to help begin building imagination for the little ones.

The “Family Bay” allows all family members to play together and stands as the basis when designing layouts. This type of Bay is configured for everyone and allows for cross-generational activities allowing parents and children to interact together. Infants and pre-schoolers can be introduced to larger play product experiences accompanied by their parents. In addition, often enough, teenagers join in since these products are designed for a wide range of age groups.

The third Bay area focuses on the tweens and teens. In the “Teen Bay,” the most energetic members of the family engage in high-energy play surrounded with opportunities to challenge each other. In addition to promoting social development skills, the “Teen Bay” is designed around features that initiate high intensity activities and collaborative play.

2. How do you maintain the popularity?

In order to maintain the popularity of your Splashpads you should modify it periodically. Ensure a flexible future. Some manufacturers offer interchangeability within their product lines. For owners of several Vortex Splashpads, the Safeswap solution provides the ability to interchange products from one location to the other, creating novelty without additional costs. In addition, although Vortex products will last for decades, some owners may want to transform the look of their facility or provide guests with new attractions. Safeswap makes it feasible to swap out a few products or to change them from one Vortex design line to another. This feature effectively transforms the appearance of the facility without having additional costs associated for infrastructure modifications.

3. Which water source should I use?

While planning your Splashpad, the use of water treatment systems versus a water system of municipal water flow-through will require some thought. It is important to note that water treatment systems are more costly than a municipal or well water system that drains away after use.

Some of the advantages of a water recirculation system include decreased water costs, the re-use of a natural resource and a consistent supply of water.

Recirculation occurs when the water used in a Splashpad is contained within a closed system, filtered for debris and then chemically treated to prevent algae and bacteria proliferation before being used again within the Splashpad.

Vortex has developed its Smart Flow System to optimize the water consumption in a Splashpad. With the Smart Flow System the water is supplied to the play features and then drained away to a wastewater or sanitary system in a single pass. Water conservation and optimization is derived from Vortex’s designed reduced-consumption nozzles, which can decrease water consumption up to 40-50 percent. Combining these nozzles with operating sequences programmed for all the play features, could reduce the total gallons per minute (gpm) by 30 to 50 percent. Implementing a Smart Flow System can allow you to decrease an original 400 gpm (1515 lpm) Splashpad down to a 200 gpm (760 lpm) flow consumption.

4. How to select your location?

Topography: Critical to ensure a level Splashpad. Slopes may also affect mechanical equipment such as pump sizing. Ideally, you want to avoid low areas that are susceptible to flooding. 

Soil and water table: Soil conditions will influence the sub-grade requirement and a high water table can influence design of mechanical and electrical equipment. 

Vegetation: Trees around the perimeter of a Splashpad can enhance the aesthetics and provide shading.  However, certain species may cause problems with leaves or pine needles and can block drains, valves and filters.

Climate: Prevailing winds need to be respected in the layout of the products to avoid over-spray.

Utilities: Potable water source, drainage and electricity.

5. Any other considerations?

When thinking about building Splashpads you should focus on several aspects. For instance, safety. The ideal solution would be to collaborate with professionals such as contractors in order to ensure the installed Splashpad surfaces are skid resistant to prevent slips and falls.

In addition, you should also consider the surrounding area and the location. The main goal is to gather them together in order to provide various interactive fun experiences in a single location. By building Splashpads near other park amenities or by adding amenities such as playgrounds, picnic shelters, etc., you are offering longer and more fun experiences to your community. Ideally, Splashpads need to be installed in a community park or a regional park that offers ample parking. In order to minimize unauthorized use or vandalism, the location should be in a visible area. 

Lastly, since the users will generate noise, larger crowds and laughter, the ideal location of a Splashpad is away from park neighbors.

Offering shading structures is another important element to consider. Shade structures or shelters should also be included near the Splashpad. They are inexpensive and simple to install. These elements add colors and architectural character to the Splashpad location.

6. What should I do during the winter?

It is important to properly winterize the Splashpads in an environment where temperatures fall below the freezing point. This procedure can be carried out by using specially made winter caps provided by Vortex. Key aspects to remember when winterizing:

1. Ensure that the water main supply line is turned off and drained if necessary then:
2. Replace spray caps on flush mounted features (i.e. ground sprays, donuts, tunnels, etc.) with winter caps to prevent water from infiltrating into plumbing system. Upright play products can remain in place or may be dismantled for storage.
3. Rotate directional spray nozzles to the closed position and re-secure locking ring. 
4. Spray nozzles on above-ground play products and activator caps may be left in place.
5. Upright play products can be easily removed and stored when using the Vortex Safeswap anchor. A supplied winter cap is then applied to the exposed Safeswap flange. (Not included)
6. Ensure that all drain systems are free of debris and are properly functioning to allow for drainage during spring thaw.
7. Turn power switch off in controller and shutdown main power source to controller.

Written by Talar Ozcanian — Ozcanian is a marketing and communications agent for Vortex Aquatic Structures International. For more information, log on to www.vortex-intl.com or call 877-586-7839.