By Chris Thomas
In 2014, the city of Morehead in eastern Kentucky was forced to shut down a city pool that had served the community for more than 40 years.
The facility was experiencing major structural issues that made it unsafe for use and very costly to maintain. As a result, the city authorities determined it would be best to close the facility and look for an alternate water play solution. After thorough investigation, the then newly elected mayor, Jim Tom Trent, determined the best solution was to build a splash pad facility to include all the members of the community.
Getting started
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the city of Morehead is about a one-hour drive from Lexington, and is located within the Daniel Boone National Forest along the Sheltowee Trace Trail. Although the city has a mere population of 7000 residents, it is home to Morehead State University and Cave Run Lake, the largest lake in eastern Kentucky.
Once it was determined the pool needed to be closed, the mayor’s office took this opportunity to re-evaluate the needs of the community. Since the area consists of a lake and a large indoor university natatorium, the concept of installing a splash-play water facility was especially appealing because it could serve a larger group of abilities and ages.
The city collaborated with Morehead Tourism and Rowan County Fiscal Court to raise funds to purchase land for the facility. Next, David Williams and Associates (DWA) Recreation and Water Odyssey were commissioned to design an inclusive water play area that reflected the area’s scenic beauty.
Customizing the design
The land purchased for the splash pad was rather odd shaped, totaling a 548-m2 (5900-sf) expanse. The city authorities worked closely with DWA Recreation and Water Odyssey to come up with a custom design that would mimic the city’s picturesque landscape, comprising trees and nature parks, which are part of the adjacent national forest. After nearly a year of planning, Water Odyssey proposed a wilderness-themed design with multiple custom features that mirrored the city’s natural grandeur and also stayed within the stipulated budget.
The city authorities were happy with the design, but wanted to incorporate additional elements that were representative of the city’s uniqueness. The most prominent of these features being a large lifelike eagle—the mascot of Morehead State University—that incorporates the blue and yellow colours of the institution and sits atop the splash pad’s Spray n’ Prey-themed water attraction. Further, Water Odyssey created a 5.5-m (18-ft) tall treehouse with two waterslides, which are positioned on opposite sides of the structure and offer multiple play spaces for all ages and abilities. The tree’s interior is made of steel and moulded with glass-fibre reinforced concrete. The Wild Wolf Aqua Slide is a continuation of the park’s nature theme and offers more opportunities
for inclusive water play.
Together, the facility’s one-of a-kind treehouse, 5.5-m (18-ft) eagle spray attraction, and 40 additional cascading water features span a 100-m (330-ft) wide finished pad surface.
