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Get ready to splash: Great Parks' wet playgrounds open this weekend

child plays in water
Courtesy
/
Great Parks of Hamilton County
Revamped wet playgrounds at Winton Woods and Woodland Mound open May 28, 2022.

After being closed because of COVID-19, the wet playgrounds at Winton Woods and Woodland Mound reopen this summer.

"We did a vast amount of upgrades," reports Amy Swigart, an East region guest experiences manager at Great Parks of Hamilton County. "There are many, many safety issues that we were facing due to being closed for so long, to be honest. They have upgraded all the surfacing. They've done a lot of painting. They have alleviated trip hazards, reattached some loose steps and fence posts, basically made these areas even better for the public than they were before COVID."

The wet playgrounds open Saturday, May 28. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The cost is $6 per child.

Swigart says regular playgrounds are also getting a facelift.

"There have been a lot of safety procedures being done to the swing set areas," Swigart says. "We have a playground committee and inspection committee, and they have actually done a lot of upgrades there. Your swing sets have better surfacing (so they're) safer for your children."

More upgrades are planned or underway. She recommends checking the Great Parks website for updated closures.

Sharon Woods-specific upgrades

Meanwhile, Great Parks reports planning is now underway for an accessible and expanded playground at Sharon Woods.

"We heard from the public in the development of the Park and Facility Master Plan for Sharon Woods that they were looking for an improved and expanded playground at the visitor center and we are ready to begin the work on fulfilling that request," says CEO Todd Palmeter in a release.

Public engagement sessions will be scheduled. The new playground is slated to be several thousand square feet larger than the existing area. It will be designed for an "inclusive play experience" for children "of all ages, from toddlers to tweens, and will be accessible for users with a wide range of abilities."

Design and planning is expected to wrap up by the end of next year with construction beginning shortly thereafter.

While the small playground with a water feature is already open at Sharon Woods, the indoor play area at Sharon Centre won't reopen this summer.

Senior Editor and reporter at WVXU with more than 20 years experience in public radio; formerly news and public affairs producer with WMUB. Would really like to meet your dog.