Dayton plans to upgrade 5 splash pads, may build 3 new pads

Stephan Marcellus, Dayton’s director of the recreation department, said hopefully the assessment work will be done by the spring of 2025.

“With a little luck (upgrades) could be finished before August 2025,” he said.

Marcellus said construction on new proposed splash pads likely will not be completed until the end of next summer. He said project timelines depend on the state of the supply chain.

The city has seven splash pads and only two have been updated in recent years: a pad in Fairview Park in northwest Dayton and another in Mallory Park in southwest Dayton.

The city’s other five water play facilities have not seen improvements in at least a decade, Marcellus said.

The existing splash pads could get additional spray features and aging equipment may be replaced.

The city also proposes to construct up to three new splash pads.

One will be built at the Northwest Recreation Center at 1600 Princeton Drive. A second will be installed at Lohrey Recreation Center at 2366 Glenarm Ave. in southeast Dayton.

The city has not identified a site for a potential third splash pad.

The city more than a decade ago decided to demolish some of its shuttered municipal swimming pools and pool houses. The city also decided to invest in its splash pads.

The city used to have seven outdoor pools, but it closed most of them between 2004 and 2009.

Splash pads are cheaper to operate than pools. Pads do not have lifeguards and they require less maintenance.

The city currently has two indoor pools in operation.

The pool at the Greater Dayton Recreation Center has been closed now for about three years, city officials said.

Officials said it was closed because of a lifeguard staffing shortage, which is still a challenge even today.

Marcellus said the city hopes to reopen this pool this year, but that depends on having enough staffing.

“Right now the number of applicants is very small,” he said.

Dayton’s Department of Recreation operates seven seven splash pads within its city limits.

• Fairview Park Splash Pad, 2262 Elsmore Ave.

• Five Oaks Park Splash Pad, 329 Five Oaks Ave.

• Mallory Park Splash Pad, 3037 Germantown St.

• McIntosh Park Splash Pad, 882 W. Riverview Ave.

• Stuart Patterson Park Splash Pad, 238 Baltimore St.

• Walnut Hills Park Splash Pad, 2340 block of Wayne Avenue

• Washington Park Splash Pad, 3620 East Second St. (splash pad to be relocated in another area of park)

The city proposes to build new splash pads at:

• Northwest Recreation Center 1600 Princeton Drive

• Lohrey Recreation Center 2366 Glenarm Avenue

• 3rd Splash Pad — TBD pending available budget