Pine splash pad getting new pavilion

People who take their kids to the splash pad at the Pine Community Center will now have a place to escape the summer heat with the addition of a pavilion for the upcoming season.

Also new this year will be a user fee for people who live outside the township.

The board of supervisors approved construction of a 24-foot by 30-foot shelter, which will have a metal roof and powder-coated steel frame similar to the park’s Lakeside Pavilion, said Joni Patsko, the township’s director of parks and recreation.

“The township’s Parks and Recreation Commission identified the need for a pavilion/shelter at the splash pad area to provide shade for the visitors,” she said. “And when covid restrictions are lifted, we are hoping to be able to allow it to be used for birthdays and other gatherings.”

She said the pavilion was part of the splash pad’s original design and the $38,887 cost of the addition is included in the 2021 budget.

The bid for the work was awarded to Snider Recreation Inc. of North Royalton, Ohio.

The aquatic playground located near the soccer fields in Pine Community Park, which debuted last summer, has more than three dozen components featuring sprays and fountains.

Patsko said the splash pad has “proven to be a huge success.”

During its first season, which ran from July 21 and Sept. 16, more than 15,000 people used the facility.

The splash pad will be open this year from May 31 to Sept. 6.

To adhere to coronavirus guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state health department, the splash pad was only permitted to operate at 50% capacity, or 82 guests last summer.

Patsko said those restrictions could be modified or eliminated this year if the state relaxes its social distancing and mask mandate. If not, the same precautions will be required.

To limit the number of people using the splash pad at one time, guests were also required to reserve a 1 hour and 45-minute time slot.

Patsko said reservations will continue to be required to keep the splash pad from becoming overcrowded.

The supervisors on March 15 approved imposing a fee of $4 for non-residents to use the splash pad, which will continue to be free for Pine residents and members of the Pine Community Center.

The facility also is open to residents of any community, which is a requirement of the $250,000 state grant the township received to help build the $750,000 splash pad.