Aquatics Guide - 2019 - 32

Keeping Splash Pads
Fun and Safe
PHOTO COURTESY OF VIRGINIA BEACH PARKS & RECREATION/LINDA CROVATT 2018

Introducing NRPA's Splash Pad Certificate Program

ccording to NASA's Global Climate Change research, " Seventeen
of the 18 warmest years in the 136-year record all have occurred
since 2001, with the exception of 1998 " (https://climate.nasa.
gov/vital-signs/global-temperature/). In urban centers across the
country, this rise in temperature is evident in the frequency and duration of
record-breaking high-temperature days during the summer. Many cities have
turned to installing splash pads in public spaces to help provide residents with
relief from the high temps.
A 2018 Center for City Park Excellence survey of the 100 largest
U.S. cities, shows that there's been
a 60 percent increase in the number
of splash pads installed since 2015.
Splash pads definitely are a fun,
easily accessible way to cool down
on those hot, summer days. But,
as with any piece of equipment or
man-made feature, splash pads require maintenance and scheduled
inspections to ensure their safe operation: water quality and surface
safety among the things needing to
be monitored. As they have become
ubiquitous in public spaces, especially parks, the need to provide staff

Parks & Recreation

with information to not only maintain, but also to implement them has
increased. In response to that need,
NRPA is releasing a new online
Splash Pad Certificate Program this
March.
NRPA's Splash Pad Certificate
Program is designed to provide pool
operators, maintenance staff, pool
managers, park and recreation directors, health code inspectors, building
inspectors or anyone responsible for
maintaining water play recreation
areas with the knowledge and skills
needed to create and implement a
water play recreation area for their
agency and community. By complet-

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ing this online certificate program,
participants will gain the expertise
necessary to plan, design, operate
and maintain a splash pad facility.
There are four online courses, each
focused on key areas of the implementation and operation of splash
pad facilities, that need to be completed to receive your Splash Pad
Certificate, which is worth 1.2 CEUs:
Planning: Define your community needs and expected benefits, assess proposed sites to ensure proper
placement, outline a site plan and
create a budget plan for design and
ongoing maintenance costs.
Design: Demonstrate knowledge
of current safety standards, select
appropriate elements based on site
plan and identify site considerations.
Operations: Identify liabilities,
create a risk management plan, implement management and safety
practices, and identify potential programming and rental opportunities.
(Prerequisite: AFO or CPO certification)
Maintenance
and
Repair:
Demonstrate knowledge of maintenance techniques and identify and
implement appropriate repairs. (Prerequisite: AFO or CPO certification)
Each course will be available individually. However, you must hold
a current AFO or CPO certification
to enroll in the operations and maintenance and repair courses: these
certifications are not required for the
planning and design course.
Sign up at www.nrpa.org/splashpad to be the first to know when the
courses are available.

https://www.climate.nasa http://www.nrpa.org/splash http://www.TION.ORG

Aquatics Guide - 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Aquatics Guide - 2019