SEARCH BY WATER PLAY STRUCTURE
FUN IN THE SUN
Five stars are not enough to rate the splash pad at Brewer Park in Ottawa South. It’s probably closer to SEVEN stars (out of five.)
Five stars because there are so many water fountains and structures. Six stars because it’s so big that it takes up two levels. And, seven stars because there’s a water slide and a nearby bathroom. Wow.
THERE BE DRAGONS HERE!
Chapman Mills Main Street Park Splash Pad in Barrhaven is something you don’t see every day.
They have a giant green dragon!
The splash pad has a lot of jets. You will get wet for sure!
Interactive Map & List of the BEST Ottawa SplashPads
List of SplashPads in Ottawa
Here are the splash pads that we’ve been to so far!
- Aladdin Park splash pad: 3939 Albion
- Andrew Hayden (West) 3127 Carling Ave
- Arnott Park (East) 691 Hartman
- Bandmaster Park (West) 230 Mistral Way (AWESOME)
- Banner Park (West) 90 Banner
- Barrington Park (East) 1705 Orleans
- Beacon Hill North Recreation Centre (East) 2132 Radford
- Beechcliffe Park (West) 2 Beechcliffe
- Ben Franklin Park: 188 Knoxdale
- Big Bird Park splash pad: 936 Lawnsberry Drive
- Billy Bishop Park (West) 1 Bishop Mills Way
- Blue Willow Park (East) 6011 Longleaf
- Bluegrass Park (West) 199 Bridgestone
- Bordeleau Park (East) 349 Bruyere
- Bradley Ridge Park (East) 221 Radhika Court
- Brewer Park 100 Brewer Way (AWESOME)
- Brookshire Park (West) 1035 Klondike Rd
- Butterfly Park (East) 711 Long Point Circle
- Canterbury Park (East) 2185 Arch Street
- Cardinal Creek Valley (East) 2130 Bergamot Circle (AWESOME)
- Cardinal Glen Park (East) 11 Dunbarton
- Cedarcroft Park (East) 1200 Cedarcroft
- Celebration Park (West) 200 Central Park
- Centrepointe Park (West) 114 Centrepointe
- Champagne Park (East) 1861 Markwell
- Chapel Hill Park (East) 1556 Forest Valley
- Chapman Mills Park (West) 139 Windhurst
- Charing Park (West) 37 Chartwell
- Citiplace Park (West) 285 Citiplace Drive
- City Centre Park (East) 1800 City Park
- Claudette Cain Park (East) 660 River Road
- Crownridge Park (West) 290 Meadowbreeze Drive
- Cummings Park (East) 980 Cummings Ave
- Cyrville Park (East) 1420 Meadowbrook
- DEER RUN PARK SPLASH PAD (West): 272 West Ridge Drive
- Delorme Park (East) 6591 Delorme
- Diamond Jubilee Park (East) 2810 Findlay Creek Drive (AWESOME)
- Dr. John Hopps Park (East) 300 Den Haag
- Elmridge Park (East) 1841 Elmridge
- Emerald Woods Park (East) 3795 Alderwood
- Fairfield Park (East) 49 Appleford
- Fairlea Park (East) 2989 Fairlea Cres
- Fallingbrook Park (East) 681 Deancourt
- Fawn Meadows Park (East) 165 Meandering Brook
- Fisher Park (West) 250 Holland Ave
- Fountainhead Place (East) 105 Felicity Cres
- Four Seasons Park (East) 4386 Spratt
- Gardenway Park (East) 2001 Gardenway
- Gerald Poulin Park (East) 1899 Du Clairvaux
- Glebe Memorial Park (West) 75 Glendale
- Glen Park (East) 1766 Grey Nuns
- Greenbank Park (West) 895 Greenbank
- Greenboro Park (East) 1505 Cahill
- Half Moon Bay (West) 3525 Cambrian
- Harrold Place Park (West) 1 Harrold Place
- Heatherington Park (East) 1560 Heatherington
- HENRI-ROCQUE PARK SPLASH PAD: 229 Hepatica Way
- Hiawatha Park (East) 6218 Voyageur
- Hibiscus Park (West) 990 Cobble Hill
- Hintonburg Park (West) 1064 Wellington
- Huntley Centennial (West) 108 Juanita (AWESOME)
- Jasmine Park (East) 2040 Jasmine
- Joe Jamieson Park (East) 6940 Bilberry
- Joseph Vezina Park (East) 1070 Summer Days Walk
- Kaladar Park (East) 2554 Kaladar
- Kilbirnie Park (West) 665 Kilbirnie Drive
- Kilreen Park (West) 1250 Southwood
- Kiwanis Park (East) 395 Levis Avenue
- Kristina Kiss Park (West) 100 Akerson
- Laroche Park (West) 52 Bayview
- Lawson Park (East) 491 Lawson
- Leslie Park (West) Dayton Crescent
- Lincoln Heights Park (West) 175 Lincoln Heights
- Manor Park (East) 100 Braemar
- Marcel Beriault Park (East) 1691 Sunview
- McCarthy Park (East) 3320 Paul Anka
- Meadowbrook Park (East) 1485 Meadowbrook
- Montgomery Memorial Park (East) 61 Main
- Morrison Park (West) 1095 Morrison
- Mountain Meadows (East) 3740 Mountain Meadow
- Nault Park (East) 325 St-Denis
- New Edinburg Park (East) 193 Stanley
- North Vineyard Park (East) 6026 Voyageur
- Ouellette Park (East) 530 Strasbourg
- Owl Park (East) 185 Owl
- Palmerston Park (East) 1326 Ogilvie
- Piazza Dante Park (West) 470 Booth
- Pioneer Plains Park (West) 1018 Stittsville Main
- Plouffe Park (West) 930 Somerset
- Portobello Park (East) 670 Aquaview
- Primrose Park (West) 179 Primrose Ave
- Provence Park (East) 2085 Provence
- Queensway Park (East) 1580 Telesat
- Queenswood Heights Centennial Park (East) 1485 Duford
- Queenswood Ridge Park (East) 346 Kennedy
- Regatta Park (West) 150 Pennant
- Richcraft Recreation Complex – Kanata (West) 4101 Innovation
- Roy Duncan Park (West) 295 Churchill
- Roy Park (East) 6210 Meadowglen
- Russell Boyd Park (East) 1735 St. Bernard
- Sheffield Glen Park (East) 2320 Southvale
- Sieveright Park (East) 2999 Sable Ridge
- Silverbirch Park (East) 6105 Silverbirch
- Sir Wilfred Laurier Park (East) 288 Chapel
- South Nepean Park (West) 700 Longfields (AWESOME)
- Stanstead Park (East) 861 Stanstead
- Stonecrest Park (West) 220 Stoneway
- Stonehenge Park (East) 1434 Ridgebrook
- Thornecliffe Park (East) 45 Provender
- Tierney Park (West) 50 Heritage Glen
- Turtle Park (East) 720 White Alder
- Upcountry Park (West) 310 Upcountry
- Vista Park (East) 720 Vista Park Drive
- Walden Park (West) 130 Walden Drive
- Walter Baker Park (West) 100 Walter Baker
- Water Dragon Park (West) 424 Chapman Mills
- Westcliffe Park (West) 681 Seyton
- Whitehaven/George C. Brown Park (West) 970 Parkhaven
- Whiterock Park (East) 1245 Matheson
- Winterwood Park (East) 1844 Johnston Rd
Frequently asked questions about Ottawa Splash Pads and Spray Pads
- Is this website run by the City of Ottawa?
- Who do I contact if there’s a problem with a splashpad? (i.e. broken)
- Who runs this website? (Ottawa Splash Pads.ca)
- What is a splash pad / spray pad?
- How many splash pads are there in Ottawa?
- When do splash pads open in Ottawa?
- What time do splashpads in Ottawa open?
- Which splashpads in Ottawa are closed in 2021?
- Why isn’t this site updated more? (The story behind OttawaSplashPads.ca)
Is this website run by the City of Ottawa?
No. This website (OttawaSplashPads.ca) is not affiliated with the City of Ottawa.
Here’s the City of Ottawa website page about Splash Pads.
Who do I contact if there’s a problem with a splashpad? (i.e. broken or water turned off)
Splash pads and parks in Ottawa are run and maintained by the municipal government (i.e. the City of Ottawa).
If there’s a problem with a splash pad (i.e. park maintenance), you can file a 311 Report or Request with the City of Ottawa.
Who runs this website? (Ottawa Splash Pads.ca)
Ottawa Splash Pads.ca is run by a family that likes going to splashpads. (Read more about our story.)
We are not affiliated with the City of Ottawa in any way.
We just think splashpads are cool. And pretty.
The city of Ottawa website has a neat interactive map that lets you zoom into an area and see all of the splash pads. Their map is cool (pun intended) because it shows you which splash pads are accessible.
(Psst, we also have an interactive map of splash pads in the city that lets you search by water play structures at the park. Oh, and photos. Photos are cool.)
Note: Some of the information on our website comes from the City of Ottawa open data catalogue.
OttawaSplashPads.ca is a work in progress.
What is a splash pad / spray pad?
Splash pads (and spray pads) are urban areas for water play (Wikipedia).
Unlike outdoor pools or spray pools, there is no standing water so there and no lifeguards.
And, unlike larger water theme parks (like Calypso – which is reopening July 1), Ottawa splash pads are very low key. (And free)
Think of them as play structures that spray your kids with water!
How many splashpads are there in Ottawa?
In Ottawa, there are 144 splashpads.
The new splash pads are elaborate urban water parks with fountains, spray cannons, and dumping buckets.
The old splash pads are wooden posts with a trickle of water. Although over time, these old-school wooden post splash pads are being replaced with newer modern splashpads.
The newer Ottawa splashpads come in a few different sizes.
- Some have only a few elements (i.e. one tall post with a dumping bucket and a few ground jets.)
- Others (like Millennium park) have multiple zones with different water structures
When are Ottawa Splash Pads open in 2021?
The Province of Ontario allowed the City of Ottawa to open its’ splashpads by Sat May 22, 2021. (Some splash pads in Ottawa were turned on before that.)
Last year, the City of Ottawa website stated that splash pads will be working between May 17, 2019 to September 15, 2019, depending on the weather.
They have not published when the 2021 splash pad season will end. (Last checked on June 25, 2021)
What time are splash pads open in Ottawa in 2021?
Splash pads in Ottawa are officially open from from 8 am to 9 pm daily.
In our experience, sometimes the water might be turned on (or off) before or after the official hours.
Here’s what we’ve learned since we started splash padding in 2012:
- We’ve been to splash pads that have the water turned on all night (but that might not be the case any more.)
- Other times, we’ve been to a splash pad at 10 am and the water still isn’t on.
- Some splash pads seem to run from 8AM to 8PM.
Just remember that things change.
The water at the splash pad might not be turned on, even though you’re there at the right time!
You might end up visiting a splash pad in the city before the water gets turned on for the day.
Back in the day, the lower level splash pad at Brewer Park was turned on at 8AM. (But, we don’t know if that’s still the case!)
Which splash pads in Ottawa are closed in 2021?
Please note, the City of Ottawa website has posted a list of splash pads that are currently closed due to operational issues.
According to the City of Ottawa swimming page (last checked on June 25, 2021), the following splash pads are broken / the water is turned off.
The following splash pads are closed for repairs:
Claudette Cain Park (some features operational)
SOURCE: City of Ottawa Swimming Page, checked on June 25, 2021
Greenboro Park and Community Centre
Fairfield park (some features operational)
Fisher Park (some features operational)
Kilreen Park
Millstone Park
Pioneer Plains Park (some features operational)
Sharel Park
Silverbirch Park
Westcliffe Park
Why isn’t this site updated more? (The story behind Ottawa Splash Pads.ca)
Hi, my name is Mike Fuchigami. I’m the guy behind this website.
I started this website with my family back in July 2012.
At the time, I was a grade 8 teacher. I was fortunate enough to pilot a class set of chrome books with my students. (This was back in the day when chrome books were first launched.)
As part of my English language arts program, I set up a blogging network for my class so they could create websites and practice literacy (and digital literacy) skills within the classroom environment.
Over the summer of 2012, I created this website to model for my students what a website could look like.
Back then, my family and I decided to be tourists in our own city. There were over 100 splash pads in Ottawa and we made a point to visit them all!
That was a lot of work for our little monkey, but it was an adventure we enjoyed.
Fast-forward to May 2021
Times have changed. My little girl is now in middle school. And, COVID 19 changed the world.
I’ve also changed.
In April 2018, my school Longfields Davidson Heights showed my grade 8 students and I a school play about bullying. In it, the main character gets bullied. He solves his problem by coming to school and shooting everyone.
I struggle with anxiety.
That school play triggered a mental health crisis that would end my classroom teaching career.
A lot of splash pads have changed and there are some fantastic new ones out there.
I’ve tried to update and reboot this website several times.
The reality is I haven’t been able to carve the time to do it. But, I’m going to try to spend a little time each week working on this site.
Right now, I don’t have a job. I’m spending all of my time slowly reinventing myself as someone who makes a living from the Internet.
(I sell teaching resources. I want to help empower students to survive and thrive in a changing 21st century world.)
We’re heading into the summer of 2021.
If you’re on this website, chances are you’re a parent or guardian looking for a place to take your kid on a hot summer day.
I’m going to try a few new things to get me out the door and reviewing splash pads again.
Hopefully, this is the year that I get a chance to revisit some old favourites and check out the new pads that are popping up in the west and east ends of the city.
If you know of an awesome splash pad that I haven’t reviewed yet (or need to update) – feel free to get in touch with me here.
Happy splashing and hope things are getting better for you and your people
Cheers, Mike
Ottawa Splash Pad news
Splashpads are Open!
Hi everybody!
It’s splash pad season! Summer is here and it started to be boiling. Pools are closed because of Covid-19.
Luckily, splash pads here in Ottawa opened on Fri June 12, 2020.
The city of Ottawa said splashpads are fully operational by Thu June 18, 2020. They recommend if you’re using the splashpad…
- still maintain physical distancing
- bring lots of hand sanitizer so you can use it a lot
- make sure to not use your hands to activate splash pads, and instead use your elbow or foot. (Don’t use sticks or stones to push the button.)
Some splash pads are closed for repairs:
Anisha Park
Calzavera Park
Citiplace Park
Elmridge Park
Fawn Meadows Park
Fairlea
Glebe Memorial Park
Mark Yakabuski
McCarthy Park
Pioneer Plains Park
Seiveright Park
Water Dragon Park
WC Bowes
Whitehaven ParkThe following splash pads are open; however, some water features are out of service: Claudette Cain Park
SOURCE: City of Ottawa website
Under Construction
Today, Daddy and I went to the Devonian splash pad at 171 Escarpment Crescent, but, it was under construction.
We saw where we think the splash pad is going to be because there was a silver button on a green post. We also saw a Zone de Construction sign and red fencing, so clearly the park was still being worked on.
We step up a 360 camera on a tripod and took a picture. Check it out! If you’ve never seen a 360 photo before, you can see in different directions by using your finger to swipe around. And, if you want to zoom in or zoom out, just pinch with two fingers. It’s funny when you zoom out a lot because the picture turns into a funny hole!
We’re starting to work on our Ottawa Splash Pads website again, fix up mistakes and checking out new splash pads that we haven’t visited yet!
- Just go to OttawaSplashPads.ca.
- Just above the map, you’ll see the words Water Play Structures, and Splashpad Regions.
- Tap the box under Water Play Structures, and you’ll see a list of different water structures like whales, flower and leaf posts, and water guns.
- Click on the option “Unknown” and you’ll see all of the parks that we haven’t been to, yet!
So, this summer, we’re going to work on getting to all of these splashpads!
Don’t forget to like and follow us on FaceBook! See you next time!
Ben Franklin Park Splash Pad Opening
The Ben Franklin Park Splash Pad ( 188 Knoxdale ) is officially opening tomorrow, Friday July 12, 2019 at 3:00 PM.
Counsellor Keith Egli posted on his twitter and his website about the splash pad opening, but I like his friendly tweet to the mayor inviting him to spending time at the splash pad for the long weekend.
We haven’t personally had a chance to check out this splash pad yet, but we’re looking forward to going sometime soon.
To be perfectly honest, the Ben Frankin Park splash pad wasn’t even on our radar until recently.
The City of Ottawa is part of an open data initiative and they provide free access to many of their data sets, including information about splash pads.
This is where we got some of the information we use on this website. (You can read about the City of Ottawa’s Open Data awesomeness here.)
Ben Franklin Park splash pad isn’t on this list yet, but I imagine it will eventually join the list sometime after the official opening!
(In case you’re wondering, there are 139 splash pads in the list. Well, 140 after you include the Ben Franklin Park Splash Pad!)
Hope you’re having a great summer!
Ottawa WE Day
Today I would like to talk about WE Day!
My dad and I went to WE Day. WE Day is a time where lots of people gather around in the Canadian Tire Center and see people who are talking on stage about how the world could be different if you made a change into anybody else’s life and yours.
It was really fun. Like how we got to see lots of people who were changing the world. Like how my family and I are raising money for Ecuador.
Not only grownups but kids too can change the world.Today I saw lots of people who were cheering everybody and to me, it felt like if all these people worked together we could change the world.
In some countries, like Ecuador, some people don’t get clean water and could die but we can work together to get them what they need.
Anyone can help change the world so you should come and change the world. Thank you for helping.
Sprint to the finish
We just finished visiting nine splash pads in four hours. Four hours, I tell ya. (And there were some cool ones.)
Our little trooper is singing Laurie Berkner songs in the back as we drive home from Nepean and downtown Ottawa.
“What’s your favourite song?” I ask, after she’s requested “Goodnight” for the fourth time in a row.
“This one.”
“Why do you like it so much?”
“Because it says, ‘little kid,’ and I’m a little kid.”
We love our little monkey. We’re getting close to the end of our splash pad adventure. In just two more splash pads, we’ll have visited every water park in the city. Not bad.
“Can we listen to it again,” comes the fifth request.
Sure.
“Hey guys,” clarifies our three year old daughter, “I don’t just love this song I like all of the songs.”
That’s good, because we weren’t sure how much we liked the Party DVD at first, but it’s grown on us. Toddler crack.
“Hey guys,” continues to clarify our little girl. “Actually I don’t just love this CD, I love all of Laurie’s songs.”
I love how she’s on a first name basis with Laurie now. And, just a few weeks ago, our daughter didn’t realize she was a real person. We’re heading down to New York in October, so maybe we’ll get a chance to meet her in person.
1. Bearbrook Park Swimming Pool (Splash Pad)
I’m not sure if the splash pad at Bearbrook Park should count as a splash pad.
Sure, it’s a nice modern splashpad with aqua domes, ground sprinklers and a red fire hydrant, but the splash pad is part of the outdoor swimming pool.
You have to pay to get in, and the splash pad is only available during pool hours.
That’s why we snapped the photos from outside of the fence.
The splash pad does make Bearbrook Park a nice outdoor swimming pool. We’ve been swimming here before, but it’s too cold this morning.
There’s a wading pool for toddlers, a bigger pool for lane swimming, and a nice gradual pathway that winds around the splash pad for your little kids to play in.
The gazebo with the picnic tables is a nice touch, so it’s a nice way to spend an afternoon.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
2. Kilreen Park Splash Pad
… is a wooden post.
A reader commented and told us this was a sad looking splash pad. And she’s right.
“Back in the day, this is what they were like when I was a kid and we had fun,” explained Mommy.
And, today, we have giant splash pad monstrosities like Diamond Jubilee and Chapman Mills Main Street Park.
We read some Dora, we slid on some slides, and off we go.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
3. Morrison Park Splash Pad
The splash pad at Morrison Park is simple, but modern: a couple of ground sprinklers and a giant red post that sprays water.
It took three pushes on the start button before the pressure built up enough for the red post, but eventually it worked.
I think we had more fun going down slides on the play structure. All of these Nepean splashpads are pretty close to each other, so it’s off to the next one.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
4. Leslie Park Splash Pad
Wow. There’s a dragon at the Leslie Park splash pad. Or, maybe it’s a giant purple snake.
Either way, it’s cool.
And, unexpected. The only other splash pad that we’ve seen with a dragon was Chapman Mills Main Street Park.
Leslie Park is a great place to spend the day.
- Nice high powered splash pad – you’re going to get soaked.
- There’s a little kid structure and a play structure for bigger kids
- A lot of trees, but no gazebo or picnic table
- Field and green space to run around
- Easily accessible from surrounding streets
“What a little treasure,” says Mommy as we drive away. “Easily accessible from surrounding streets.”
With four splash pads down, and only seven more to do, we knew we could finish off all of the splashpads today. Challenge accepted.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
5.Banner Park Splash Pad
Three old red metal posts sit at the splash pad at Banner Park.
There’s some drainage near the splashpad which kind of suggests that at one point, there was a lot more water going on here, but right now, it’s only a trickle that comes out.
Overall, the park has some character – it’s a lovely park. But, if you’re looking for a splash pad, just drive a few minutes to Leslie Park splash pad to check out the dragon.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
6. Centrepoint Park Splash Pad
We’ve been to the splash pad at Centerpoint Park before, but somehow didn’t get a chance to write about it.
I’m going to guess we didn’t get great pictures last time because this park is pretty busy. Lots of kids running around, and with good reason. It’s a great park.
- The splash pad has lots of interesting water structures. There’s a flamingo, a whale, a cattail, and a dumping bucket (although it didn’t work when we were there.)
- Not all of the structures go on at the same time, so the water pressure can be quite strong in some of the structures.
- There’s a public washroom for those emergencies. (It’s exactly what you would expect a public park washroom would be like.)
There are a lot of kids and their families hanging out today. The play structure is great because it has a little slide (for little ones) and a two-story high slide for older kids (or little ones with their grown-ups.)
Our three year old had fun checking out the splash pad. She had even more fun climbing up way too high to go down that tall slide.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
7. Laroche Park Splash Pad
The splash park at La Roche totally caught us by surprise.
We were expecting some dinky little old wooden post, and instead, we find some of the highest water pressure geysers in the city.
- There are three high powered spray loops to run through. We watched a little boy do it and get drenched.
- The tri-arm water faucets rain down a pretty strong mist
- The blue umbrella (which didn’t turn on until the third push) pours down water on the sides
But the most impressive thing at this water park are the two ground geysers. Powerful.
The water pressure might be too high for little kids, but they also have a fire hydrant that’s pretty low powered for your toddler. There’s plenty of shade at this park and a gazebo by the play structures and field.
A clean park and an unexpected gem.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
8.Plouffe Park (Plant Recreation Center) Splash Pad
The splash pad at Plouffe Park (beside Plant Recreation Centre) is the splash pad that you see on the city of ottawa recreation guide.
This urban water park has a lot going for it:
- a modern splash pad: 4 rainbow spray loops, 21 sprinklers in the ground, a blue post with three arms, and a fire hydrant start
- a gazebo with picnic tables
- climbing play structure for kids,
- and further on, there’s a climbing polyhedron for older kids
This splash pad is right beside Plant Recreation center so you can use the clean washrooms in emergencies. The biggest hazard is that you’re close to a lot of restauraunts so you might get hungry.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
9. Piazza Dante Park splash pad
The city of Ottawa added the splash pad at Piazza Dante Park to their list this year so we checked it out.
It’s a true urban park – think of it as a water fountain that you can run through. It no water structures – just 8 jets in the ground.
Pretty.
We read some Dora and then went home. Two more splash pads to go before we’ve visited all of them.
Woo hoo.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
Goodnight: 100th splash pad party
“We’re not playing here for long. We’re going to the last one to have a party.”
It’s best to forewarn our little girl before we get to the splashpad that she won’t get a chance to play on the play structures. We’ve already had a busy day hitting nine splashpads and everyone is feeling a little tired.
But, we’re only two splash pads away from completing our summer goal, so we’re making a final push in the evening to visit the last two splash pads on our list.
(We told our little three year old that we could go to her favourite restauraunt once we finished visiting all of the splash pads. She’s been hard at work pressing start buttons, soaking her baby doll, climbing play structures, and patiently waiting for Daddy to take photos.)
As it turns out, when we arrive at the splash pad at Cummings Park, we don’t even bother taking our daughter out of the car. There’s no parking on the side street that we’re on, so Daddy hops out to snap a few photos while Mommy and monkey wait in the car listening to Laurie Berkner CDs.
Cummings Park is a basic splash pad with four ground sprinklers. It’s a perfect toddler splash pad because of the low predictable water pressure. And, just like that, we’re on the road to Whiterock Park.
Happy One Hundredth Splash Pad
Tonight, we visited our hundredth splash pad.
I’m not sure how many families in Ottawa can say that, but we did it. We’ve visited all of the splash pads in Ottawa. We started last year on a whim in the middle of July and we crossed off Whiterock a few hours ago.
Whiterock is an older splash pad with a simple metal post. And, even though it’s a one-star splash pad, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sure, it might have been nice to end at a modern splash pad with all of the bells and whistles (or perhaps dumping buckets and dragons,) but sometimes it’s nice just to share a quiet moment with family.
We ate chocolate cupcakes, drank Orangina out of fancy plastic glasses, and drew circles in the air with sparklers.
Goodnight Splashpads
“I can’t believe we did eleven splash pads today,” said Mommy as we drove back home.
It’s been a busy day.
Splash padding across the city has been a great family adventure. Oh, we’ll still continue to splash pad with our friends, but today marks a nostalgic milestone.
The Laurie Berkner Band Party Day CD has been on repeat and it’s strangely apropros. Our favourite little girl loves the last track, Goodnight.
“I’m a little kid and my Daddy loves me, I’m a little kid and my Mommy loves me, and when they tuck me in to say goodnight, they say, Goodnight honey.”
We told our little girl that when we go down to see Laurie Berkner in concert in Ithica, New York, we should make a giant sign that says, “We love you Laurie!”
Our little monkey comments from the back seat, “Everywhere we went, we took Laurie with us. So, we should take pictures and put it on the poster so she could see where we went.”
I’m not sure if a hundred photos would fit on the sign, but we’ll see.
Goodnight splashpads. See you tomorrow.
No archery. Seriously
The highlight of today’s splash padding adventure has got to be the signage at Kiwanis Park splash pad.
At the front of the park, it gives you a list of things you cannot do.
Please don’t be tempted to bring your bow and arrow to Kiwanis Park. Target practice is forbidden in this tiny urban park.
(It’s not expressly forbidden at any other city park we’ve visited so I guess you’re good to go at those ones. We’re not sure about this, so you’d better check.)
1. Kiwanis Park Splash Pad
The splash pad at Kiwanis Park is part of the wading pool.
The wading pool was closed when we arrived after 9AM on a Friday morning.
It’s an old under powered metal post, so there’s not really much more to say about the splash park.
You already know about the no archery rule.
[splashpad_headline_card]??
2. Lawson Park Splash Pad
A reader let us know earlier in July that there isn’t actually a splash pad at Lawson Park.
We were in the neighbourhood, so we thought we’d check it out to see what was hiding at the GPS co-ordinates given by the city (open data catalogue). Kinda like geocaching.
There used to be a splash pad at Lawson Park, but it doesn’t work any more. It’s a giant tree-sized wooden post, but there’s no start button anymore and the weeds have overgrown the grounds.
“That doesn’t look like a park,” comments our three-year old daughter who, by now, is used to things like Diamond Jubilee or Brewer Park.
“Where’s the real park?”
She means the curly slides and swings that we usually use after we snap a few photos. Usually there’s a play structure beside the splash park and we have fun throwing our baby doll down the slide. Lawson Park is mostly a giant field.
“I want a park to play,” she says, after we explain that the splash pad is broken.
So, we play hide and go seek behind the tall trees.
And then we’re off to find the next splash pad.
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3. Stonecrest Park splash pad
The splash pad at Stonecrest Park is a lot of fun.
We invited our cousin over to splash with us and have a little picnic. Stonecrest Park is a good place to do just that.
The splash pad is neat because it runs through different patterns and the water pressure changes.
For example, sometimes, the split stream is a quiet trickle and other times, it’s blasting across the splash pad.
- A yellow spray cannon,
- A bunch of water fountains from the ground
- A gazebo with picnic table
- A toddler play structures and a bigger play structure
We had fun making sand castles, just like last time. And just like last time, we picked up a couple of stray kids from the day care who joined in on the fun.
If you build it, they will come.
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4. Mountain Meadows Park Splash Pad
There were too many toddlers toddling at the splash park at Mountain Meadows, so we couldn’t get a big picture shot.
But, if you can’t beat them, join them.
Our little girl had fun dunking baby’s head in the water. (Baby needed a bath after going down some slides at the play ground.)
A nice basic modern splashpad: water cannon, high powered ground water fountains, and a line of 8 sprinklers creating a water tunnel.
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5. Four Seasons Park Splash Pad
Sometimes, when we’re riding in the car, we play this game trying to count fire hydrants.
Our three year old backseat driver will shout out, “Fire hydrant,” and it’s game on.
Some how, the game never really transfers over to counting the fire hydrants at splash pads.
The splash pad at Four Seasons Park consists of a fire hydrant with four nozzles – one is broken.
(In case you were wondering, we checked our database and there are at least 11 splash pads in Ottawa that have a fire hydrant water structure.)
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6. Claudette Cain Park splash pad
Claudette Cain Park is beautiful and the splash pad there is impressive as well.
We gave it five stars.
- Beautiful park by the river
- Interesting water structures: Several tall posts with dripping flowers, spinning flower, and a dumping bucket. There are also water cannons, a bunch of ground sprinklers, and an aqua dome creating a wave of water.
- There are portapotties around the park (including one beside the splash pad)
- There is a parking lot
- You can walk from the splashpad to get to a gazebo and other play structures with slides.
We definetely want to come back to this one.
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Getting muddy at the water playground
Our three year old daughter wants to do the last twenty or so splash pads all in one day.
(We told her we’d go to her favourite restaurant to celebrate the 100th splash pad that we visit. Hopefully by the end of August, although Mommy is pretty optimistic that we’ll do it sooner.)
Twenty splash pads in one day seems a little excessive. How about five?
1. Bluegrass Park Splash Pad
The water park at Bluegrass park was pretty popular when we checked it out this morning, Tim Hortons in hand.
I really like those posts that create an umbrealla of water – especially when they’re short and at kid-level. It kinda looks like a jellyfish.
It’s a nice modern splash pad:
- a green archway,
- dumping buckets,
- a short aqua dome,
- and a bunch of ground fountains
It was pretty funny to watch a bunch of kids trying to throw their hats up into the dumping buckets. One little boy actually got his hat up there and was pretty excited when the bucket dumped it back down.
Of course, that only inspired the little kids to double their efforts.
We left just before the daycare army arrived. Good timing.
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2. Westcliffe Park Splash Pad
The splash pad at Westcliffe Park is your basic high-powered ground sprinkler type.
Press a button and four high powered nozzles send up fountains and jets of water up into the air.
It’s a long water cycle after you push the start button and the sound of silence after the water stops hitting the ground is strangely quiet.
Great water pressure – some of these fountains shoot above the tree line. (But it’s not powerful enough to launch our princess bucket into the air.)
The play structures and shady trees are just beyond the hill.
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3. Andrew Haydon Park splash pad (water playground)
The “splashpad” at Andrew Haydon Park isn’t so much a splash pad, as it is a water playground (which is what it says on the parking lot sign.)
Andrew Haydon park was added to the City of Ottawa splashpad list this year (2013), although it’s not yet included in the City of Ottawa open data.
Last fall, we came across the water trough playground. When we saw that they added Andrew Haydon to the city website, we were wondering if they had upgraded the water structures.
They haven’t.
- There is a pirate ship with a water slide. (Think old-school metal slide but with water dripping down from the top.)
- There is a trough system with a water wheel.
- There is a second trough system.
- It’s an older structure – the water pressure is practically a trickle and there are leaks in the trough so none of the water really makes it to the end.
At first, Mommy and Daddy weren’t sure about this “splash pad.” There are no water play structures or ground fountains.
But once you stop thinking of this place as a splash park, and instead, think of it as a gigantic life-sized water table, then this place is awesome.
Our three year old daughter definitely gives it her stamp of approval.
“Can we come back to this water playground?”
Sure.
There are lots of families here with little ones. This is a good place to get muddy, but not really soaked. Our little monkey had fun walking on the troughs and playing in the mud (which is what you get when you pour water continuously into sand.)
Andrew Haydon Park has a washroom facility and parking lot right beside the splash pad, so that’s nice. The climbing play structure is a little walk away.
4. City Centre Park Splash Pad
We’ve been to the splash pad at City Centre Park before, but for some reason, we didn’t write about it.
We met up with our cousin for a dinner and splashpad picnic. Bad karma points for Daddy when he pushed the start button and accidentally soaked the two little girls with the aqua dome.
But, in my defense, it looks like there are two different patterns when you push the start button. (The first time I pushed the button, only the ground sprinklers came on, honest!)
- 4 spray loops that create a strong enough wall of mist that you can see a rainbow
- 3 ground fountains that shoot up high into the air
- 1 yellow aqua dome which is high powered enough to spray unsuspecting daughters and cousins
Combined with a gazebo, picnic tables, and two other climbing play structures, this is a much nicer splash pad that the next one up the road:
5. Palmerston Park Splash Pad
There is a yellow wooden post at the Palmerston Park splash pad.
We came, we snapped photos, we went down the slide at the climbing structure beside the splash pad…
And then we went home.
By the way, we created a growing list of all of the splash pads in Ottawa that have wooden posts (so you can skip them.)
Four more splash pads: unexpected gems and a brand new splash pad not on the city of Ottawa list
To be perfectly honest, we weren’t sure if we’d like the Party Day DVD that we borrowed from the library, but after listening to the 5-track bonus CD for the umpteenth time, you just can’t help yourself humming to the catchy tunes.
“It’s like toddler crack,” quipped Mommy, as we headed out towards three splash pads in the middle of town.
We’re really becoming Canadian Laurie Berkner groupies this summer. When we head down to the States to hear her play solo in October, we should make a giant sign: We Love You Laurie!
We hit three splash pads this morning and all three were unexpected gems in their own way. Then, we met up with a play date at a brand new splash pad that isn’t even listed on the city of Ottawa website.
Not bad. Not bad at all.
1. Celebration Park Splash Pad
We were a little worried that the splash park at Celebration Park wouldn’t turn on before 9 AM. We got there around 8:30 in the morning and when we pushed the start button, only the red water cannon turned on.
But, after a couple of minutes, the water pressure must have built up because the rest of the water structures turned on.
A reader left a comment on our site about this park – clean, perfect for children of all ages – and we agree.
Celebration Park has a nice modern splash pad, plus shaded gazebo and other play structures make it a fun place:
- A unique sunflower, dumping bucket, and faucet post that we haven’t seen at any other splash pad in the city (so far)
- There are ground sprinklers to run through,
- a red water cannon to blast your friends,
- a blue spray loop and,
- this yellow post that squirts water out of the side
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2. Harrold Place Park Splash Pad
The water park at Harrold Place Park is an urban island surrounded by an enclosed street and single houses. There are lots of water structures here:
- Five ground fountains, four rooster tail water sprinklers,
- Two red archways that create a wall of mist, and
- these twin twisty posts that shower water down on the people below
This is a well loved park. When we visited, there were chalk drawings on the floor and toys around the splash pad and play structure for kids to use.
It’s an unexpected jewel in a community park. A skinny urban park with black fences on the side (but no gate, so you may have to watch your kids depending on their age. There is also a gazebo with picnic tables.
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3. Hintonburg Park Splash Pad
The splash pad at Hintonburg Park was totally unexpected. Sure, there are no water structures like spray loops or aqua domes, but there are a ridiculous amount of water sprinklers in the ground:
- 1 Fountain spray
- 2 Spitters
- 3 jet streams (x 2 sets)
- 6 fountain sprays
- 1 spider-like sprayer with 8 tiny nozzles
- a snaking path of 7 blue water gushers
- Two sets of 4 water sprinklers
Nice shaded park with two play structures for both little kids and big kids. The grassy field is enclosed by a stone fence around the park.
When we visited, there were already lots of families with babies and toddlers hangin’ out. We had a lovely snack on the picnic bench before driving in their jeep (play structure.)
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4. Ouellette Park Splash Pad (Brand New – Not on City of Ottawa Splashpad list)
The splash pad at Ouellette Park is so brand spanking new, they haven’t finished putting down the sod yet. (There were some lovely signs asking people to stay off the grass.)
We didn’t know what it was called, so we just googled “new park on strasbourg street ottawa orleans” to find out the name of the park. Thank you, Google.
It’s called Ouellette Park and you can check out from their Public consultation page to see the concept plan for the new park at 530 Strasbourg Street. The park is sandwiched between Strasbourg, Chinian, and Azure streets and named after the Ouellette family.
We came here with friends and had a blast. There are a lot of water play structures at this splash pad:
- 3 spray loops and 1 green archway to run through
- a purple aqua dome creating, well, a dome of water, but unlike other splash pads, this dome is much lower.
- a side section with three posts: two are water cannons, and the last one has a bunch of water nozzles on the side. (By the way, the start button for the splash pad is here.)
- Several ground fountains and sprinklers
Our little girl didn’t play very much in the splash pad. Instead, she had fun climbing up the slides, eating snackies under the giant gazebo, playing on the giant dish swing, and making sand castles by the little toddler play structure.
There’s a giant slide for older kids that you have to climb, but that didn’t stop our little monkey.
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Playing at the park
We decided to roll out for one more splash pad tonight. Not a whirl wind tour like earlier today, but just hanging out at one water park.
Just one.
Our little monkey was disappointed we didn’t get to spend more time on the slides, so we did just that in Beacon Hill.
Beacon Hill / Eastvale Park Splash Pad
They’ve painted the City of Ottawa swirl on the splash pad at Beacon Hill / Eastvale Park. It actually looks kinda cool when you’re standing on the adjacent play structure.
- The splash pad here has three ground fountains – one of them goes higher than the tree line.
- There are also two elephant water cannons – you can be on team blue or team red.
- The start button is on the fire hydrant (which is yellow – most splash pad hydrants seem to be red.)
This is a nice park. There’s a gazebo beside the splash pad and the play structure beside the water park is a lot of fun for little kids.
We came in the evening, so the community center was closed, but there are probably public washrooms in there.
A lot of people were enjoying the evening breeze, including two different dogs (and their owners.) I think the golden retriever and the pug were both a little surprised when the ground sprinklers went from bubbling fountains to giant geysers.
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