City’s newest splash pad now open
Water feature replaced Barnardo Park wading pool
The city’s newest splash pad officially opened in the north end Tuesday.
The Barnardo Park Splash Pad replaced the park’s wading pool, which had been around for nearly 30 years.
The upgrade from pool to pad is part of the city’s plan to convert the remaining wading pools into splash pads. Some of the pools are up to 60 years old.
Rob Anderson, city recreation division co-ordinator, said splash pads use less water than wading pools and are cheaper to operate because there’s no lifeguard needed and no water testing or chemicals involved.
The city’s wading pools are filled and emptied daily, going through gallons and gallons of water at a time.
Splash pads are also easier to maintain, Anderson said, and they’re more hygienic and safer than wading pools in terms of drowning risks.
Barnardo Park also got new playground equipment, a shelter with picnic tables and paved pathways leading to park exits, making it fully accessible.
The entire cost of the project was $570,000. An Ontario 150 Community Capital Program grant covered $300,000 of it.
A group of students from St. Anne Elementary School, along with some toddlers in the area, participated in the grand opening by taking the first splash.
Jillian Hammond attending the opening with her son Quinton, 7, who goes to St. Anne’s.
She said she’d be at the wading pool at least once a week with Quinton and her other son Hudson, 10, because it was the closest place for the kids to cool down in the summer.
While the wading pool and playground were great, Hammond said, the splash pad and new play equipment are a big upgrade.
Next on the city’s list are the wading pools at Turner Park, at Chamberlain and High streets, and at Knights of Columbus Park, at Park and Lake streets.
They won’t be replaced this year though, so the wading pools will continue to run until the switch. Lifeguards will start manning the pools at the end of June, keeping watch until the third week in August.
Meanwhile, the smaller water amenities at Olympus Park, in the north end, and Hamilton Park, at Parkhill and Monaghan roads, will also be upgraded and the city plans to install a new splash pad in the west end.