The Keys to a Successful Sprayground

by Joseph Brusseau, RLA, CPSI

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Since their introduction, water playgrounds or spraygrounds have been steadily gaining in popularity. Many agencies currently have spraygrounds at their aquatic centers or as stand-alone features within their park system. Other agencies are in the process of designing their first sprayground. But whether you are designing a new sprayground facility or upgrading an existing sprayground facility, you'll soon find that you need to consider factors far beyond the actual spray features, water conditioning system and surfacing.

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"If You Build It, They Will Come"

This line from the 1989 motion picture "Field of Dreams" will more than likely describe the popularity of your new sprayground. Ask personnel from any agency that has recently installed a sprayground and you will receive confirmation. Based on this overwhelming public response and the popularity of spraygrounds, one of the first items that an agency must consider is where to locate the sprayground.

A sprayground should be in a community park or regional park that has good vehicular access from a major thoroughfare, abundant parking and readily available utility services. Locating your sprayground in a high visibility area will not only draw attention and attract users, it will also help minimize unauthorized use or vandalism. Since your sprayground will generate crowds and noise, you should locate your sprayground away from park neighbors and close to a parking lot and drop-off area.

While few resources exist to assist in determining the number of parking spaces needed for a sprayground, a good rule of thumb for parking is to provide a minimum of one parking space per 100 square feet of sprayground slab area. Be sure to include provisions for van or bus parking. Your sprayground will attract local private day camps, church groups and childcare centers in addition to your agency's own childcare, day camp or special recreation programs.

Other amenities will help ensure the success of your sprayground. Since many sprayground patrons are young children, one of the most important is restroom access. Locate restrooms near the sprayground. Ideally, restrooms should be sized appropriately to permit clothes changing, contain baby changing stations and be directly accessible from the outside. Although not advisable, interior restroom access can be provided if precautions are taken to minimize standing water on interior tile surfaces. Frankfort Square Park District Director Jim Randall included exterior access restrooms in the recent renovation of that agency's community center in Island Prairie Park. The Frankfort Square Park District Splash Park was purposefully-located next to these exterior access restrooms. "Restrooms are one of the big benefits that we have at our splash park," said Randall.

Shade is another important element in the sprayground. If natural tree cover is not readily available, shade structures or a shelter should be included. There are currently many fabric shade structure systems on the market. They are affordable, easy to install and add color and architectural character to the sprayground. Should your budget permit, a permanent picnic shelter is a great amenity. A portion of your picnic shelter can easily be enclosed to provide a room to house the sprayground mechanical system, or for the development of restrooms.

In addition to a break from the sun, a shade structure or picnic shelter provides the sprayground user with a place to socialize, eat a snack or enjoy a drink. A picnic shelter can also be used for birthdays, graduation parties or social gatherings. Birthday parties are the largest revenue producer at the Frankfort Square Park District's Splash Park. The sprayground has also been the site for baptismal parties and wedding receptions.

Some sprayground users will want a place to sunbathe. In addition to the pavement areas surrounding the sprayground, a nearby broad flat turf area is a great location to spread out a blanket for a picnic or to catch some rays.

Snack and drink vending machines are nice features for the sprayground. Although the Frankfort Square Park District Splash Park has vending machines nearby, Randall indicated that they are more of a convenience item, since many of the park users bring their own food and snacks.

Site furnishings including benches, picnic tables and litter receptacles are a must. Parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers need a place to sit near the action. Your sprayground will also generate a great deal of litter, which will need to be removed more frequently than some of your other facilities. Litter receptacles should be included but located away from people spaces, since they will attract insects.

Creative Crowd Control

Due the popularity of spraygrounds, some agencies have begun to staff the sprayground and charge admission fees or vary operating times in an effort to control crowds. The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District currently uses a two-hour on and two-hour off approach to control crowds. The district's Splash Pad is open from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. each day in the summer. Nobody sneaks in during "off hours," because mechanical system timers only permit activation at these two-hour increments throughout the day. This schedule allows more patrons to use the sprayground throughout the day, minimizes parking impacts and gives the park district staff an opportunity to collect refuse and check the status of the water quality management system at the sprayground.

Private day camps, church groups or childcare center programs can adversely impact your sprayground and parking facilities. The Frankfort Square Park District will permit these private groups to use its splash park, but only by renting the entire facility.

Agency concerns that a sprayground may adversely affect revenue for a local pool or aquatic facility are also common. Some agencies that charge admission to their sprayground include free access to the sprayground as a bonus of purchasing a season pass

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for their other aquatic facilities. Other agencies have begun to locate their spraygrounds near or within their pool or aquatic facilities. Through creative design (fencing, variable control points and a separate water treatment system), the sprayground can extend the season (and actually help increase season pass sales), because the sprayground can be activated, staffed and run economically prior to the opening date and after the closing date of the pool or aquatic facility.

Spray Features by Age Group and Newness

When you design the spray features at your sprayground, provide separate areas for multiple age groups and play experiences. Infants and toddlers should have a space in the sprayground with soft, low-level spray features. Children age 3 to 7 are attracted to spray features that encourage team play and socialization. Children age 5 and up also prefer spray features that offer interaction, teamwork and competition. Don't forget about parents and grandparents. You are never too old to get wet and interact with your child or grandchild, especially on a hot summer day.

Pedestrian flow in and around the sprayground should also be addressed during the design process. Provide adequate pavement areas for spray drift around the perimeter of the sprayground, and locate infant and toddler spray features in low traffic areas.

In order to maintain the popularity of your sprayground, modify it periodically. For example, some spray feature manufacturers offer interchangeable spray feature heads within their product lines. This will permit the agency to reconfigure the sprayground or rotate new spray features into the sprayground each season. Another way to create more interest and excitement for your sprayground would be to vary the timing and sequencing of the spray features. Some spray feature systems currently have controllers that permit the agency to vary the time and sequence that a particular spray feature is active. Several different scenarios can be stored and used throughout the season.

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Surfacing

There has been much debate recently regarding the use of cast-in-place rubber surfacing for spraygrounds. In addition to the initial cost of this surfacing material, the overall maintenance, longevity and appearance of this type of surfacing should also be considered.

The chlorine and chemicals used in water treatment, along with tanning and sun block lotions, can build up on or stain the rubber surfacing. In chlorine environments, rubber surfacing has also been known to break down prematurely.

If cast-in-place rubber surfacing is not desired, a broom-finished concrete will suffice. Pigmented or colored concrete is also an option that can add a creative element to your sprayground and enhance the visual experiences of your sprayground users.

When completed, your sprayground will be a popular, exciting facility that will provide fun for the whole family and park users of all ages. Thoughtful and careful planning can help ensure your sprayground will be a successful facility.

Treatment Systems vs. Municipal Water to Waste

When planning your sprayground, the use of a water treatment system (which filters, balances and chlorinates the water) versus using a system of municipal water to waste will require a great deal of consideration. Water treatment systems are initially more expensive than a municipal or well water system that drains away after use. The Frankfort Square Park District, which uses a municipal water to waste system, spends approximately $1,200 per month for water for its sprayground. The district opted for this system due to initial budget constraints, the long-term cost of the well and containment facilities, the cost of chemicals and supplies and the cost of human resources to oversee a treatment system. "I wouldn't have had it any other way," said Jim Randall. The district has not received many comments or complaints regarding its use of municipal water. In fact, many users have commented that they prefer the colder water.

Conversely, some of the benefits of a water treatment system include reduced water costs, the re-use of a natural resource and a continuous reliable supply of water during periods of drought or when municipal water sprinkling bans are in effect.

Joseph Brusseau, RLA, CPSI, is president of the Brusseau Design Group, LLC, a Hoffman Estates -based company that offers professional site design, landscape architectural and recreational planning services to architects, developers, park districts, parks departments, municipalities and private organizations. On the Web at: www.brusseaudesigngroup.com.

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