Shadle water park opens with a splash

The new state-of-the-art splash pad at Shadle Park was officially open Wednesday, replacing the park’s wading pool.

Four-year-old Abby Murphy, her 6-year-old sister Caylie and Myah Peterson, 6, helped select the features for the splash pad. As honored guests, they were the first ones in the water.

Children from nearby St. Charles School jumped in, uniforms and all, after Park Board members and city dignitaries cut the ribbon at the noon ceremony.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department had planned to open the facility earlier this summer, but delayed delivery of parts from Canada held up the project. The plan was for parents and kids to try out the new aquatic facility, which may replace closed wading pools throughout the city.

Earlier this year, the parks department made the decision to close the city’s wading pools because of high maintenance costs and new state regulations requiring lifesaving equipment at each of the wading pools.

Sarah Lohr and her two children have been waiting all summer for the splash pad to open. In the meantime they have traveled from their north side home to Mission pool to cool off. “I’m a little disappointed that it didn’t open sooner, but we’ll be using it now,” said Lohr.

Lohr said she likes the fact that that unlike the wading pools, there’s no standing water, making it much cleaner.

Abby and Caylie Murphy’s mom Carrie agrees. “I’ve seen little kids in diapers in the wading pools. This is much more sanitary, and the kids get to run around so they’ll get more exercise.”

The splash pad will remain open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, until mid-October, weather permitting.

The $124,000 aquatics facility includes eight interactive features including ground water jets, a waterfall, buckets that fill and spill, and water cannons for water fights. The facility was built with Parks Department capital improvement funds.