ORANGE — A grand reopening was held for Splash Park at the Central Playground last week, about three years after it closed following flooding caused by Hurricane Ida.
“We had a lot of kids, we served food, several of the summer camps were here, the mayor, council members, it was a great day,” said Department of Public Works Director Marty Mayes.
Hurricane Ida flooded the park, leaving about three feet of water, which destroyed the controls for Splash Park.
Insurance paid for some of the damage at the city-owned facility and the city applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which also kicked in money towards the more than $300,000 it cost to fix the controls to the Splash Park attractions.
The controls had been underground but the new set are placed about six feet above ground in a storage shed.
“None of the features that were originally there were damaged,” Mayes said. “It was just the controls, the brain.”
The opening day was Thursday, Aug. 1, a hot, humid day when the temperature topped 100.
“It was a great day to have it be open,” Mayes said. “People have been looking forward to having it open for a couple of years. It’s good for the kids and good for the residents that they have such a nice splash park area especially with all the heat. It’s a great place for the kids to relax and have a good time.”
Splash Park in Orange is a big hit for children added by Joe Ungaro on
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