Screams of joy and children jumping up and down with excitement highlighted Thursday’s grand opening of the long-awaited Goleta splash pad.
After years of delays, a longtime dream became a reality as the water turned on at Jonny D. Wallis Neighborhood Park in Old Town and children ran into the first splash pad on the Santa Barbara County South Coast.
Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte did apologize for the delays, but said the city never lost sight of what the project would mean for the community.
“This space represents persistence, partnership and the power of community vision,” Perotte said. “It represents years of planning, patience and hope, and most of all, represents the families and children who will laugh and giggle and scream and yell and make memories from here for generations to come.”
The city first purchased the land in 2011 with the goal to make it a park, which was named after the late Jonny D. Wallis, former Goleta mayor and councilwoman.
“Jonny, I hope you’re looking down on us, because this was your dream as well, to have a neighborhood park for the community, for the kids,” Perotte said.
Perotte also recognized former Councilman Michael Bennett, who started advocating for a splash pad after he was sent letters from second-graders at El Camino Elementary School.
Councilman James Kyriaco explained that when an El Camino teacher read about the city’s plans, she asked her students what they would want to see at the park, and they kept coming back to a splash pad.
“It’s so great to be able to cut the ribbon on something that brings joy, that brings excitement, that brings activity, that brings kids away from their screens and out into the street and out into the community and out into our parks,” Kyriaco said.
He added that the splash pad gives Old Town families a space to enjoy the water, since it’s about a 40-minute walk from Old Town to Goleta Beach. Additionally, he said, the surface is safe for kids and the attraction uses less water than a pool.
The free splash pad is the first of its kind on the South Coast. It was part of the original designs for the park when it opened in 2019.
However, the project faced numerous delays because of drought conditions, construction issues, supply chain issues and mechanical challenges.
“Projects like this do not happen overnight,” said JoAnne Plummer, Goleta’s Neighborhood Services director, “and they certainly do not happen without collaboration, persistence and a shared commitment to creating vibrant public spaces for our community.
“Today is about more than opening a new recreational amenity. It is about creating a place where children will laugh and play, where families will gather, and where memories will be made for years to come.”
Goleta residents will be able to enjoy the splash pad from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, six days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The splash pad will be closed on Wednesdays for maintenance and cleaning.
It has 34 ground-level jets that spray water at different patterns, heights and times, as well as a cushioned blue-and-green play surface.
The pad is estimated to cost up to $235,000 for operations and maintenance this year.
The water attraction’s recirculated water will be cleaned at the pump house, adjacent to the pad.
Inside, the water will be cleaned with filters, chlorine disinfection equipment and an ultraviolet light that “zaps” the water before it gets sprayed out through the jets.
There are a few rules to know before going:
Children of all ages need to have adult supervision, and children under 3 years old need to wear a swim diaper.
No pets, food, candy, gum or glass are allowed on the splash pad.
Users are advised not to drink the water, and showers are available for users to rinse off.
