San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
East Side gets cool relief with park’s new splash pad
Things just got a whole lot cooler at Lincoln Park on the East Side, thanks to a new water feature guaranteed to keep kids wet and happy during the long summer months.
The Lincoln Park splash pad, the first phase of a park redevelopment plan timed to commemorate San Antonio’s Tricentennial, brings sweet relief in the form of 200 gallons of water that shoot up through 69 valves on a 15-minute cycle.
Funded by a $1 million donation from H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt and an equal amount from the city’s 2017 bond program, the redevelopment aims to improve the overall park on a side of town that historically has lacked the wealth of leisure-time amenities found elsewhere.
The splash pad will be followed by a pavilion, new play spaces, shade structures, lighting enhancements, new walking and trail ways and new sidewalks.
“We’re going to transform this park into a great community gathering spot,” said Julie Bedingfield, public affairs manager for H-E-B. “The splash pad is just a taste of what’s to come.”
After a brief ceremony at Saturday’s luau-themed opening celebration, the spigot turned on and kids did what they do best — frolicked in the shooting jets of water, some of which they controlled by pushing buttons at various locations on the pad.
Aaron Castillo, with daughter Camila, 7, and son Michael, 5, in tow, was thrilled to have the new water feature in his neighborhood.
“We don’t have enough of these facilities around here,” he said as his kids jumped and jiggled, waiting for the water to start. “Especially when it’s
this hot, it’s going to be great to have a place to come splash around.”
His wife, Claudia Castillo, said the splash pad will bring her some peace of mind as well.
“My kids don’t know how to swim, and sometimes it can be a little scary at the pool,” she said.
The day also marked the opening of the Lincoln Park pool, next to the splash pad, and other city pools across San Antonio.
Nathan Gonzales, 14, said the new feature will give him something to do when he gets bored at the pool, which also gets quite packed with swimmers as the summer months progress.
“I can just run across to here now,” he said.
“It’s going to be very entertaining and fun,” agreed his sister Karistyn, 9.
City Councilman Cruz Shaw, whose district includes the 100-year-old park, said new amenities like the splash pad and other improvements to come are a big deal for the community, offering fun, safe places for families to come together and enjoy the outdoors.
“That’s something we really need right now,” he said. “It’s an exciting time for the growth of Lincoln Park and the East Side.”
For Laura Gonzalez, whose family lives just three blocks away from the park, the splash pad will make her job as a mom a bit easier as well.
“It gives them something new to do over the summer besides get in trouble,” she said.