New Dunedin sprayground adds to cool summer fun
Oh to be young -- read toddler to about third grade or so -- and live in a city with a splash pad or sprayground. Usually these water filled play areas are connected to a facility with a pool but not always. So, in Florida where the heat hits you when you walk out the door in the morning, it's important to find your favorite, inexpensive -- read free or cheap -- place to cool down with the kids. I wrote about the new Dell Holmes splash pad that opened in May in St. Petersburg. And last year, when we launched our blog and Web site Go Momma, we wrote about great places to cool down around the bay area. And we missed one: Cypress Forest Park in Oldsmar which has a 1,500-square-foot sprayground with all manner of shooting and cascading water.
On Thursday, a new sprayground joins the club at 10 a.m. at the Highlander Pool, 1937 Ed Eckert Drive, Dunedin. The ribbon cutting ceremony will usher in the latest of the water playgrounds, this one officially called the Kiwanis Sprayground and featuring a Loch Ness Monster theme. There are plenty of ways to get wet: mushroom and spinning sprayers, dumping buckets and troughs, water canons, spray from the ground, even a bench that shoots up water as you sit. That sounds pretty refreshing.
According to Alicia Castricone, Highlander’s aquatics coordinator, the sprayground will hold a maximum of 90 people and regular hours will be from 9 a.m. to sunset. And there are two cool features parents will love: The pool has a lightning detection system which will automatically turn off all the equipment and then lifeguards will alert folks to leave. And there are some shaded areas that will allow parents to be nearby to watch the kids as they play. For the grand opening, enjoy some free hot dogs, lemonade and tropical steel drum music. If only there were a tiki bar nearby.
So, once all the rain clears out, you'll definitely want to check it out. Try a new park so you and your kids don't get bored at your favorite.
-- Sherry Robinson
[Photo: City of Dunedin Parks and Recreation]
Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
Amy Hollyfield is a workaholic mother of two young
daughters, blessed to have a work-at-home husband who makes their life possible. She was born in Detroit and moved around a lot as a kid (read: Air Force brat). She has lived in Florida since the month after she
graduated from Northwestern University. She lives for the yelps, hugs and kisses that greet her on nights that she makes it home before bedtime.
Sherry Robinson was born in the Sunshine State but she feels more comfortable inside a mall than outside at the beach -- thank goodness her husband is the outdoorsy type. He takes their two sons on night hikes, beach runs and bug hunts while Sherry does her best to take care of the homestead -- and find out what is new on the store shelves. A graduate of the University of South Florida in 19noneofyourbusiness, Sherry has been at the Times for nearly 20 years. And with nearly 10 years of parenting experience, Sherry is eager to offer up some great dish on raising kids and keeping your sanity.
Guest blogger Tracey Henry, a.k.a. Suburban Diva, is a frantic, slightly frazzled mother of four. She is a freelance humor writer and author which is the only thing that parenting four children ages 12-1 trains you for, except perhaps court jester and professional bull rider. She and her husband have lived all over the country, but settled in Florida eight years ago because the beachcombing is so much better here than on the banks of the Mississippi. Their family time includes a lot of sport -- both watching and playing -- and fun in the sun and surf. Catch her in Whoa, Momma! and on her site, 
Sherri Day and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world in early 2008. So far, she describes parenthood as exciting, exhausting and exhilarating. A self-described Southern belle with small-town values and big-city idealism, Sherri was born in rural Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the Brandon bureau chief for the Times. Sherri moved to Tampa from Brooklyn four years ago.
Thanks for letting us know about this, we went today and it was AWESOME!! The sprayground is free, there is a fence around it, and the water is recycled. The sign says no food or drink in water area or on deck but there are picnic tables right near the gate. When the lightning detector light is on the water stays off until 30 minutes after the last detected lightning, which cut our visit short but kids still had FUN!!
Posted by: Lisa | July 02, 2009 at 06:50 PM
Sounds fantastic and another welcome addition to our city..one question, .will they be recycling the water?
Posted by: Joseph and Alice Paviglianiti | July 02, 2009 at 03:21 PM
There is no cost to use the sprayground but if you want to use the pool, here are the fees: for residents, $2.25 for adults, $2 for seniors, $1.75 for kids; for non-residents, $4.50 adults, $4 seniors and $3.50 kids.
Posted by: Sherry | July 02, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Is it free or do you need to pay to get into the pool?
Posted by: Lisa | July 02, 2009 at 10:12 AM