New splash pad opens at Bluffton’s Oscar Frazier Park. Kids control the water

While New Riverside Barn Park has received a lot of attention from the Town of Bluffton, Oscar Frazier Park is now getting some love.

Today — and the Town of Bluffton swears this isn’t an April Fools’ joke — marks the opening of the much anticipated 2,200-square-foot splash pad with fun characters that will project water from buckets overhead, drenching children as they frolic in the sun.

Guardians will be able to keep an eye on their watches as they sit on park benches shielded by the sun with giant umbrellas.

The entire park is fenced-in. A giant red crab marks the center of the pad, and its claws point the way for children to enjoy the cooling water from above.

In a previous press release from the town, Councilwoman Bridgette Frazier said, “A splash pad is not only a recreational feature, but it can also be used as a cooling area for those residents who don’t have access to a pool in the summertime.”

In a Facebook video posted by the town, a test of the system shows water spraying from a flower and tree-like structures filling and then dumping buckets of water.

The splash pad is located near the park’s restrooms and is fully handicap-accessible.

The coolest part? Kids are in full control of the flow of water with “start” buttons located on top of two pedestals within the splash pad park.

Besides the new splash pad, the park also has a dog park, an open lawn area, walking path, restrooms and a pavilion that is operated as a first-come, first-saved basis.

This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 5:00 AM.