Eastman Park Splashpad Features Flow-Through Design

Saint Cloud, MN– Commercial Recreation Specialists (CRS) provided design assistance, installation, training support and supplied Vortex water features and mechanicals for the Eastman Park Splashpad in Saint Cloud, Minn., according to Ron Romens, president of Commercial Recreation Specialists.  Bonestroo, an engineering firm, designed the X,XXX-square-foot Splashpad; Shingobee Builders won competitive bidding and completed construction; and CRS conducted training with the city of Saint Cloud.  “The Splashpad at Eastman Park was designed as a flow-through system allowing water to drain into nearby Little Lake George where it can be used again to help maintain lake levels,” said Romens.

“The design incorporated Eastman Park’s waterfront setting and allowed Little Lake George to remain a focal point in the park by using stainless steel Silverflow features with unique see-through polymers to create an organic look that blends into the landscape,” said Bonestroo designer Stuart Krahn.  The Splashpad at Eastman Park has a capacity of over XXX and includes three Splash Bays, appealing to a multi-generational audience through age-appropriate design elements.  Each area was designed not only for a refreshing, fun experience, but also to develop skills such as parallel play, motor skill development, creativity and cooperative play.  Areas of play include Discovery Bay for small children with soft ground sprays; Adventure Bay for older children with interactive action/reaction spray features that create a variety of spray sequences; and Action Bay for competitive play including a Soak Station and Power Launch Pads.

One of the mechanical highlights of this project is a command center that controls over fifty features from a 22-valve, wall-mounted manifold operated by two controllers, each providing sixteen different sequences.  This system creates an ever-changing atmosphere on the Splashpad, while conserving water by controlling water flow to never exceed 180 gallons-per-minute.  The Splashpad also features Vortex’s SafeSwap system which sets infrastructure in place for future development and/or seasonal removal, allowing Splashpad features to be rearranged or moved as the needs of the facility change.