We were fortunate to be involved with the Hope Park “splash pad” estimates and interviews with the administrators of the park. Their concerns are very valid and we are proud to be awarded the resurfacing project. We will post more information on the project as it develops.
Here is a copy of the article written by Jessica Osborne with the Mooresville Tribune. You can also view it on their webpage at: http://www.mooresvilletribune.com/news/town-looks-to-lessen-danger-at-hope-park-s-splash/article_d2201eae-1757-11e4-a8a3-001a4bcf6878.html
Town looks to lessen danger at Hope Park’s ‘splash pad’
By Jessica Osborne/Mooresville Tribune
After receiving several complaints from parents about safety issues at the “splash pad” at Hope Park, town officials are looking at ways to negate the problems.
Daniel Stines, parks and recreation supervisor for the town’s Cultural and Recreation Services department — which oversees the town-owned park next to Lowe’s YMCA — said the safety issues had been brought to the town’s attention more this summer than in the past.
One concerned parent also contacted the Tribune after his son fell at the park while playing in the splash pad/water play area, a circular area with smooth concrete around several water sprayers. He said the painted surface becomes very slick when wet.
While he said his son was okay, the man noted that several other children slipped and fell that day as well, one of whom he said was unconscious for several seconds after taking a “horrible hit.”
The parent called the Lowe’s YMCA about shutting the water off, but was informed that the park is managed by the Town of Mooresville, and added that there seemed to be confusion about who presides over the upkeep of the park.
While the park was built on property owned by the Lowe’s YMCA, it was later turned over to the town. Stines said the park is at least five years old and that the spray park opened in 2011.
Hope Park Facebook page contains comments from people who had written about the safety issues as far back as 2011. While the most recent comment was made a month ago, the page does not appear to have been kept up since June of 2013. The last post left by the page’s administrator notes that the Public Works’ Building and Grounds Departments is responsible for the upkeep of the park and provided a phone number for page visitors to contact for inquiries or to report any issues.
Stines said his department has been working with the town’s Building and Grounds Department on a cleaning schedule for the splash pad, and instead of workers coming out every two weeks to clean it, Stine said they have upped that cleaning schedule to once a week.
“They use a bio-friendly chemical to clean with,” he said. “It’s an algaecide cleanser that gets the (slippery) film off.”
Stines said they are also looking at resurfacing the splash pad, as well as posting signage warning people about the slippery surface and not to run in the area.
“If we can get a bid from a company for coatings and possibly a rubber topping hopefully we can put something down that is non-slip, rather than just painted concrete,” he said. “I’ve been out to look at it, and it appears that it did have a sandy texture coating that just wore down over the years.”
Stines encourages parents to have their children wear water shoes with a sole, rather than being barefoot — not just for slip purposes, but for hygiene, too.
“It’s a double-edged sword really,” he said. “We don’t want to have to shut it down, especially during peak season time to do cleaning, but we want to make sure that that it’s a safe environment for children to play in. So far we’ve not heard of anything serious above a bruise. But we are becoming more proactive in cleaning, and we’re looking at getting signage and a fresh surface put on it.”
Stines said there is no current signage in place at the splash pad other than the hours for when the park is open.
“We’re working on what those general rules will look like, and will put spot signage up around the pad,” he said. “We’re also working with the town attorney on the wording of the signs and anything else deemed necessary to be posted.”
Stines said he hoped the spot signage will be in place sometime this week.
#HopeParkMooresville
Safety Starts w/ Stability!
Kurt Karriker
704-589-7455
Creative Playscapes