By Vanesa Brashier, editor@bluebonnetnews.com
The children of Dayton are set to have a cool summer with the opening of a new splash pad. Located at Parker Park on the 1200 block of N. Winfree, the water feature was years in the making, said Mayor Jeff Lambright at a grand opening ceremony on Saturday, April 27.
“We have to thank our Parks Board for their vision and approving it to go here,” Lambright said. “Kimberly [Judge] and Tami [Green with the city’s planning department], and I have been working on this for years. Everything has finally come together.”
The funding for the $122,000 splash park came from a certificate of obligation bond passed in 2018. City Manager Theo Melancon said a splash pad was one of three of the most-suggested features in developing the city’s Master Parks Plan.
“One of the things that kept coming up again and again while building our Master Parks Plan was the idea of a splash pad. We went ahead and started the process knowing it was one of the highest-rated amenities,” Melancon said.
The runners-up were a dog park and a skateboard park.
“Now that we have adopted the Master Parks Plan, our goal is to look at all our parks. There might not be splash pads at the other parks but there may be other features people want,” the city manager said.
The contractor for the splash pad was Kraftsmans Play of Dallas, Texas. Pergolas with bench seating were added to both ends of the splash pad where parents can sit as their children play. Brock Construction built the pergolas and benches. Dayton Parks Board President David Parker gave a $5,000 donation to the city to fund one of the pergolas.
Picnic tables and benches throughout the park were made by Tony McNeese.
The splash pad will be open seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., though the city is considering extending the hours in the future. A push button turns on the water on a four-minute cycle.
Melancon said the goal is to keep the water park open from spring until October or November.
Sammy Juett tries to taste the water shooting up from the ground as she runs through the new water park at Parker Park in Dayton on Saturday, April 27. 
Alister Billings, grandson of Dayton City Secretary Jennifer Pafford Billings, enjoys running through the water features at Dayton’s new water park on Saturday, April 27. 
Ethan Juett does the floss dance as he stands under a shower of water at Dayton’s new water park on Saturday, April 27. 
Dayton city leaders held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the opening of a new water park in Parker Park on Saturday, April 27. 
Dayton Mayor Jeff Lambright laughs as he notices the ceremonial scissors for the grand opening of the city’s new water park match his shirt. Pictured with him are Dayton City Manager Theo Melancon, City Councilman Alvin Burress and David Parker. Parker donated money that provided benches and pergolas at each end of the water park. 
Children play while parents try to stay out of the splash zone at Dayton’s new water park on Saturday, April 27. 
Snow cones and lemonades were sold Saturday for the grand opening of the City of Dayton’s new water park in Parker Park. Pictured right to left are City Councilman Alvin Burress, Dana Burress, Susan Giberson and Crystal Lopez.