WS Chronicle

Photo by Todd Luck

BY TODD LUCK 

THE CHRONICLE

There’s a new way to cool off at city parks as Winston-Salem’s first sprayground was dedicated at Little Creek Park last week.

It’s the first of nine spraygrounds that are being built with money from the 2014 city bonds The sprayground, which costs close to $227,000, uses sprinklers and automated buckets to soak those within the water playground. When park attendees push a button, the water goes for 15 minutes and will then cease if no one’s using it. The sprayground has a central drain that collects and recirculates the water, greatly reducing the amount of water it takes to operate. Unlike a swimming pool, there’s no standing water or possibility of drowning, so spraygrounds operate without park staff or a lifeguard.

“We put a lot of energy, a lot of time into these facilities, we try to be very innovative,” said Recreation and Parks Director William Royston at the ribbon cutting for the sprayground, held on Friday, May 5.

City Council Member Dan Besse and young Kingston Nixon pushed the button to activate the park. It didn’t take long for Kingston and others to take advantage of the wet wonderland.

Kingston’s father, Will Nixon, said he’s glad to see the sprayground in the area where he lives. He thinks it’ll be a great amenity at Little Creek, which has no pool.

“It’s a great addition to this side of town,” he said. “It gives kids an additional outlet during the summer that’s coming up.”

The spraygrounds will operate during the warmer months and close down during the fall and winter.

Spraygrounds at Hathaway and Reynolds parks are expected to open by month’s end. Other spraygrounds will be at Sedge Garden and Rupert Bell recreation centers along with Polo, Parkland and Mineral Springs pools. There will also be one at a new park being developed on Bethabara Road in the North Ward.