Custom splash pad provides community with an inclusive play facility

by Dave Flaherty | April 14, 2020 10:08 am

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.

 Installing the splash waterpark

For this particular splash park design, the city chose a recirculation system rather than a flow-through water system. It recirculates approximately 3785 L (1000 gal) of water per minute, which is treated chemically in the holding tank before it flows back to the splash features. This recirculation system was not only chosen for water conservation, but also for environmental reasons. The splash pad is located on infill land near a neighbouring creek. Therefore, additional measures were taken to ensure the ground was solid enough to support the weight of the splash park and avoid any contamination of the creek or underground water.

Brad Boaz from CMW Architects contributed to the project engineering and determined a stone and a geo-textile grid would need to be installed to stabilize the ground before the concrete could be poured. In this case, 203.2 mm (8 in.) of geo-grid and stone were installed (normally 101.6-mm [4 in.] of geo-grid and stone are used for a splash pad of this size).

A 18,527-L (5000-gal) collector tank was installed underground as part of the recirculation system except for the lids, which required additional support and stabilization. The tank measures 2.7 x 3.9 m (9 x 13 ft) with a depth of 3 m (10 ft) and weighs nearly 1814.3 kg (4000 lb).

During the splash pad’s construction process, the adjacent restroom was simultaneously being built to serve the facility. DWA Recreation worked with PSS Contractors LLC, the restroom-facility’s contractor, to design a 3.6- x 8.5-m (12- x 28-ft) mechanical room on one end of the building. This resulted in a slightly complicated plumbing and piping system, which had to meet the needs of both the splash pad and the restroom facility.

Further, the slides that emerge from the treehouse were difficult to install as they were not part of the standard water feature design. These slides are very long and are made to sit on a flat surface. That said, splash pads must have a slope so the water can easily drain into the recirculation system. To resolve this issue, DWA Recreation, a playground specialist, worked closely with Water Odyssey in the slide construction and installation process. They made a few adjustments so not only would the slides work well, but would
also meet the required Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) codes.

Finalizing the project

The splash pad measures nearly 36.8 m (121 ft) diagonally; 30.4 m (100 ft) at its longest and 26.8-m (88 ft) at its widest point. The facility comprises a teen area as well as a toddler zone. Also, the waterpark’s design complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards.

Each zone flows into the next, increasing in water feature size from smaller features to larger interactive water play attractions. The nature-based theme of the aquatic facility is both fun and incredible, reflecting the uniqueness of the Morehead community.

Once the design was complete and the custom pieces were in production, it was time to name the new park. The team decided to go with Daniel Boone’s native American name, ‘Sheltowee,’ while the many cascading water features in the park’s design lead to ‘Falls.’

Opening day

Although the splash pad was to initially open in the summer of 2018, it opened only briefly in the fall and was used by the community on warm days until it was winterized in late October. Unfortunately, a collapsed water tank delayed its reopening the following year. After successful repairs, the inclusive play facility had a grand reopening in August 2019 and was visited by hundreds of residents daily for the remainder of the season.

Chris Thomas has a decade of experience promoting the physical, mental, and social benefits of aquatic play. His background in marketing and communication design has allowed him to identify market needs, contribute to the aquatic community through product development to enhance the guest experience, and discover design strategies that move child development forward. Over the years, Thomas has contributed to industry publications and collaborated with consultants and end-users to bring their vision to life. He can be reached via email  at chris.thomas@fountainpeople.com.

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