The sprayground at Centerville-Washington Park District’s (CWPD) Activity Center Park will receive a significant makeover and upgrade, thanks to a generous donation from Dayton Children’s Hospital.
The sprayground has served the community for 17 years, with an estimated 31,500 visits per summer season. However, the aging facility has reached a point of deterioration beyond routine repairs. The sprayground features and mechanical systems perform below standards, leading to an increase in annual maintenance costs and periodic unexpected closures.
In 2022, CWPD worked with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. and Standard Aquatics and Recreation, LLC to assess the sprayground’s condition. Based on their recommendations, CWPD plans to upgrade mechanical systems to improve overall efficiency and reduce water and energy consumption. The project will be completed using sustainable materials to extend the facility’s life span by 15 – 20 years. In addition, new amenities will enhance the visitor experience, including several new spray features and more covered picnic tables and seating areas.
“We are thrilled to partner with Dayton Children’s Hospital to improve this much-loved community park,” says CWPD Executive Director Kristen Marks. “Outdoor recreation is proven to be vitally important for physical and mental well-being. Providing these recreational opportunities is key to community health and wellness, making Dayton Children’s Hospital an ideal partner for this project.”
“We are honored to support a project that will give thousands of children an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and engage in free-spirited play, which is what being a kid is all about,” says Deborah Feldman, president and CEO for Dayton Children’s Hospital. “So many of our patient families and our employee families enjoy this park and all it has to offer. We are excited to be part of this community and the many memories that are made at the sprayground each summer.”
The sprayground renovation project will begin in early 2024 with completion anticipated in the summer. Oheil Site Solutions has been contracted for the project.
In addition to the $150,000 donation from Dayton Children’s, CWPD has received an $8,500 grant from the Brighter Tomorrow Foundation to install a powered universal changing table in the Activity Center Park family restroom, improving the park experience for visitors with disabilities and their caregivers. This new park amenity will be completed in time for the sprayground reopening.
Activity Center Park is a 22-acre community park located in the heart of Centerville at 221 N. Main St. In addition to the sprayground, the park features an all-access playground with wide ramps, large swings, belt swings, infant swings and benches that sway. The park’s shelter has restrooms and picnic tables and is a popular destination for children’s birthday parties. Three baseball diamonds, a half-mile paved multi-use path, pollinator habitats and six pickleball courts are also on the park grounds.
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