Free Water Fun This Summer

It’s a scorcher out there this summer – at or close to triple digit temperatures for close to a month now. If you like spending time outside but just can’t stand the heat, try visiting one of these free spraygrounds throughout the DFW area. It’s great, free fun for kids and could a refreshing lunch break for adults.

What’s a sprayground? It’s a mini water park that looks like a playground. Most spraygrounds are city-owned facilities located at public parks.

Dallas
http://www.dallasparks.org/Downloads/Spraygrounds.pdf

There are eight spraygrounds scattered across the city of Dallas. Click the link for hours and the location nearest you.

Allen
http://www.cityofallen.org/departments/parks_recreation/parks/celebration_rules_and_hours.htm

The spray ground at Celebration Park (701 Angel Parkway) operates from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. except Wednesdays. The sprayground is closed for weekly maintenance every Wednesday.

Arlington
http://www.arlingtontx.gov/park/funtimes/funtimes_summer10.pdf (page 15)

The splash grounds are located in Don Misenhimer, Brantley Hinshaw and California Lane Parks. Hours are 10 am to 8 pm. They are open weekends only from Labor Day through the end of September.

Frisco
http://www.friscofun.org/parks/Pages/SplashParks.aspx|
All Three spray parks are open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. every day.

McKinney
http://www3.mckinneytexas.org/www/parks.aspx?id=1812
The sprayground is located at Finch Park – 301 W. Standifer. Hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily.

Rockwall
http://www.rockwall.com/Parks/Parks.asp

The Sprayground is located at Harry Myers Park and is open 7 days a week from 9:00am to 9:00pm.

New Law in Place to Prevent Crypto Virus
There’s a new law in place to help prevent the spread of cryptosporidium, a water-borne parasite that was such an epidemic in the summer of 2008 that many public pools and water parks had to shut down. The new state Senate bill 968 mandates all area spray parks be treated with disease-treating chemicals, like chlorine, and that they be monitored on a regular basis. The bill also mandates that spray parks built in the future be fitted with crypto-killing systems. It’s also illegal to use a public water facility if you are sick. This summer should prove much safer for water recreation in North TX.