Photo by Erin Nelson.
The Splash Pad at Melrose Park, seen June 16 as it nears completion, is set to open July 1.
With summer in full swing, Chelsea now has a new place to beat the heat.
The Splash Pad at Melrose Park recently was scheduled to open July 1, but the opening date has was pushed back due to delays. The splash pad, the most recent addition to Melsorse Park, located next to the playground behind the Chelsea Community Center will open Tuesday, July 20.
Construction on the project began in the fall of 2020 and was initially planned to be completed by Memorial Day, but the timeline had to be extended due to weather events and construction delays.
“Obviously we are very excited about it,” Mayor Tony Picklesimer said. “It’s a new adventure, and our city hasn’t had anything like this.”
The splash pad will feature a zero-entry wade pool along with other water features. It will also have a Chelsea clock tower and other items to make it special to the city.
Each guest will be charged a $2 admission fee and receive a colored band. Bands are good for the entire day, allowing guests to come and go and only pay once. One ticket window will be for getting wristbands, while another window will be for concessions.
“The wristbands will be for those ages 1 and up,” said Jane Anne Mueller, activities director at the Chelsea Community Center. “It’s for all day, so if a rain shower comes and we have to close, people could leave and come back.”
Mueller has been assisting Parks and Recreation Director Bart Pettus in taking care of behind-the-scenes work that he doesn’t have time to do.
“That’s kind of my forte, having a big task and getting it done,” she said.
Although the wade pool is only about 18 inches deep, all of the personnel working at the splash pad will be CPR trained and lifeguard certified. All of the staff will have matching shirts that have “staff” printed on the back so they can be easily identified.
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Photos by Erin Nelson.
The Splash Pad at Melrose Park will feature a clock tower in the middle and display a Chelsea theme throughout.There will also be a large deck area for parents to sit while their children play.
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Close and convenient
The closest splash pads are in Hoover, Moody and Pell City, so this will be a great addition to Chelsea, while also attracting guests from all over nearby areas.
Picklesimer and several council members went and looked at the ones in Moody and Pell City to get an idea of how they wanted the Chelsea one to look.
Its main feature is a clock tower in the middle and has a Chelsea theme throughout.
There will be a large deck area for parents to sit while their children play. A large restroom facility that will also serve as a storm shelter will be available.
“I expect it to be crazy for a little while after it opens,” Mueller said. “Having the splash pad in combination with the playground, we feel like people will go back and forth between the two.”
Guests can bring their own drinks and snacks and enjoy them at the areas outside of the splash pad. Drinks and light snacks will be available for purchase, and in the future, more snack options will be available, along with pavilions that can be rented for birthday parties.
To keep guests safe, the water will undergo regular testing like pools do to make sure it meets the required levels.
Rules and hours
The splash pad rules are:
► Swimsuits and appropriate attire must be worn.
► Children younger than 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
► Infants and toddlers must wear a swim diaper.
► Tobacco, drugs or alcohol will not be allowed.
► Outside food and drink must remain in designated areas at all times.
► Chairs and umbrellas will not be allowed in the splash pad area.
► Pets are prohibited.
► No horseplay or running.
► Swim toys or athletic equipment will not be allowed.
► No raincheck for inclement weather.
► The city can remove participants for violating any of the above rules.
The splash pad will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. and has a maximum capacity of 300 guests. The splash pad season will run from May 1 to Oct. 1. Mueller said because all the lifeguards are students, the splash pad may only be opened on weekends once school begins in the fall.
“We may not have everything worked out from day one, but in having a new venture, we will figure it out,” Mueller said.
Now that the playground and splash pad are complete, the next project at Melrose Park is an amphitheater. Mueller said she is already forming ideas of events to hold when it’s completed, including family movie nights and live music.
“There are a lot of things in the pipeline for people to be excited about,” she said.
Keep up to date on the opening on the City of Chelsea Facebook page.
