by Sean Malcom
The Splash Pad at Stevensville’s Lewis & Clark Park opened to the public on Saturday morning, June 10th.
Storm clouds broke over the weekend, allowing the Splash Pad’s first day of operation for the 2023 season to go off as a hit.
Local children and their parents slowly trickled in at the “Trout Spout” for the first time since August 2022. The original grand opening of the splash pad occurred during the 109th Annual Creamery Picnic, last year, but had to be closed prematurely because of an issue of the surface being unusually slick with the potential for injury.
This will be the first full season of operation.
Joan Prather, the chair of the splash pad project, stated the pad was resurfaced during the off-season and should be open for the rest of the 2023 summer.
Fundraising for the splash pad started in 2020, with groundbreaking occurring in the fall of 2021. The Covid-19 pandemic, as well as inclement weather, caused delays in construction.
The splash pad consists of multiple water features, from a water curtain to dumping buckets and a large mushroom that rains water down onto anyone below it. The water turns on and off throughout the day, then shuts down automatically at the end of the day. The pad also uses recirculated treated water so as to not waste water.
The pad is surrounded by tables and benches, allowing parents to enjoy the weather as their kids enjoy the water. The splash pad is ADA-accessible, allowing all to enjoy.
The Parks and Recreation Department of the Town of Stevensville maintains The Splash Pad at Lewis & Clark Park. It will be open seven days a week, from 10:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. for the rest of the summer.