Bluffton announces a splash pad, other amenities coming to town parks
Plans to add amenities to two parks in Bluffton were unveiled Friday by the town, which expects to complete the projects by 2025.
In the heart of Bluffton, Oscar Frazier Park will get a 2,200-square-foot splash pad, where water will spray out of the ground from 23 different points. Installation of the the $655,000 splash pad will start in the spring. It’s expected to open to the public by next summer, the town said.
The splash pad, which will be near the park’s restrooms, will be fully handicapped-accessible, the town said.
“The Town is excited about this project because our community has been requesting this amenity for many years,” Councilwoman Bridgette Frazier said in a press release from the town. “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 addition to the splash pad, the town announced the next phases in building its newest park, the New Riverside Barn Park.
Bluffton signed a $10.9 million contract to convert the barn into an event space and the construction of restroom buildings. The barn park will be the town’s largest playground and the installation of signage, outdoor site furnishings and lighting is expected to start in January.
While the barn improvements aren’t expected to be finished until 2025, the playground, trails, restrooms and common area improvements are expected to be open by the end of 2024, the town said.
“This major Town project will soon be the Town’s largest park, open space and event venue,” Town Manager Stephen Steese said in the press release. “The New Riverside section of Bluffton is the town’s fastest-growing area, and this park will serve all residents in multiple ways.”
This story was originally published October 28, 2023 at 11:02 AM.
