aquatic play schemes

MAKING A SPLASH

Top tips and strategies for aquatic attractions...

POOL AND SPLASH pads offer an irresistible combination for water-based fun.

Serving up popular visitor appeal is crucial for reaping the return on water leisure investment on holiday destination swimming pools. Sometimes a daunting commitment, traditional pools can pose challenges such as water treatment, heating, safety regulations and staffing. In comparison, the addition of a splash pad caters for more users yet appeals to the broadest audience of individuals, families and groups.

Equally, the pool and splash pad can work together; a complementary space for users to engage in water-based fun simultaneously. The result is a vibrant and energetic aquascape that elevates the overall pool experience and creates an environment where more guests can engage in aquatic fun. The Splash, a renowned UK-based company, specialising in bespoke splash pads, has set itself the ambitious goal of revolutionising the water leisure industry by providing game-changing solutions.

By integrating a custom-designed splash pad from The Splash, pool owners can experience a significant increase in the bather load, accommodating more users than ever before. With their commitment to manufacturing excellence and limitless design possibilities, The Splash is redefining the concept of interactive water play. Customisation is at the heart of their philosophy.

THE SPLASH ENSURES that each splash pad is crafted with meticulous attention to detail.

Each splash pad design is crafted with precision and tailored to the specific requirements and preferences of the customer. This commitment to bespoke designs ensures that every splash pad is unique, offering endless design opportunities that enhance the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the facility. The Splash takes pride in its UK- based manufacturing process, guaranteeing the highest quality standards.

By keeping production local, The Splash ensures that each splash pad is crafted with meticulous attention to detail and adheres to stringent quality control measures. This commitment to manufacturing excellence guarantees durable and long-lasting splash pads that withstand the test of time while offering endless design possibilities.

Established in 1966, Ustigate Waterplay has specialised in the design, build and maintenance of aquatic facilities for 57 years and are renowned for providing high quality, efficient and sustainable solutions that are safe and full of fun for their user groups as well as lasting the test of time. This testimony is backed by their past projects, their membership of the Association of Play Industries and Pool Water Treatment Advisory Group and the long-term warranties provided on all their aquatic play products.

ALL OF USTIGATE’S SPLASHPAD® products are formed from tactile, interactive and user-friendly products.

STAFF TRAINING
Staff training is provided for clients that have a team to operate their aquatic facilities. Ustigate also provide ongoing customer care packages that consist of monthly and annual services, seasonal commissioning, decommissioning and facility and surfacing refurbishments. Ustigate has worked with many clients for many years.

In 2004, Ustigate designed and built Aqua-Tek at Magna Science Adventure Centre; no spare parts have been required on the Vortex products to date and Ustigate replaced the original EPDM wet-pour surfacing in 2022, following 19 years of consistent popularity and play. The correct calculations for aquatic play schemes are based upon the number of water features, their flow rates and the bather load, advise specialist Ustigate.

Tanks, pumps and filters are sized to meet specification, performance and demand. The majority of Ustigate’s aquatic play schemes are provided with a PWTAG compliant recirculation system with two separate tanks (one for clean water and one for returned water) to guarantee water quality, safety efficiency and to enable one body of water to be treated and recycled.

This is the most efficient and sustainable water management system in terms of water usage. Energy and water conservation for splashpads is achieved through the setting of the height of water effects, feature activation, sequencing and sleep mode in-between water cycles.

The brains of the system is a controller that sets the hours of operation and feature sequencing as well as providing live real-time data on critical plant room equipment, water treatment and water usage, all designed and manufactured by Ustigate Waterplay at its base in Dartford, Kent. The controller is user-friendly with a touch screen that can be operated manually whilst in the plant room or via an iPad, mobile phone or PC when provided with an Ethernet internet connection and remote access.

THE SPLASH PROVIDE game-changing solutions for aquatic attractions.

PEACE OF MIND
Public safety is paramount and it is imperative that the water quality and chemical balance is correct. The Ustigate controller provides peace of mind and guarantees public safety because if the water quality and chemical balance falls short, an alarm is triggered to action immediate attention and correction. The majority of Ustigate’s PWTAG compliant, two-tank recirculation systems, include chemical water treatment and ultraviolet disinfection.

Ustigate’s in-house manufactured controller ensures consistent operation, optimal performance and safety efficiency. The majority of Ustigate’s poolside Splashpad® play items are provided with a Safeswap™ anchor, enabling products to be removed for easy cleaning.

The Safeswap™ anchor system also provides a sustainable and low-cost solution to exchange products for alternatives in future; ensuring aquatic play facilities remain as modern as the first day of installation. All of Ustigate’s Splashpad® products are formed from tactile, interactive and user-friendly products that are tried and tested and certified to meet EN 1176 safety standards.

Ustigate’s flumes also meet the strictest of safety standards, having been tested by the TÜV (Technical Supervision Authorities) and certified EN 1069, the European standard for waterslides and EN 1090, the European standard for steel and welded constructions. If you are looking to splash out on water leisure, think outside of the swimming pool box. Get the basics right and remember to add a splash of interactive fun and you will have found a recipe for success.

The Splash
E. enquiries@thesplash.uk
www.thesplash.uk

Ustigate Waterplay
Tel. 01322 4244 45
www.ustigatewaterplay.co.uk

GAME CHANGERS

THE BRIDLINGTON CENTRE has proven to be a huge success with an estimated 50,000 plus people visiting the facility in the first six weeks alone.

With more than 100 aquatic installations under their specialist belt, Ustigate’s aquatic play schemes are assembled for a variety of budgets. Experience and expertise enables Ustigate to respond efficiently to all enquiries, carrying out prompt site surveys, calculations and designs to allocated budgets for all sizes of projects both indoor and out. In conjunction with long term aquatic partner Vortex International, Ustigate’s product portfolio includes waterslides, Elevations™ play structures, the award- winning Water Journey™ collection and over 300 individual and interactive Splashpad® play items, with the majority being available with the Safeswap™ Anchoring System. Particularly thought-provoking for holiday destinations, the Safeswap™ Anchoring System provides clients with the ability to exchange features for alternatives in the future, without the need to break the ground again.

FRESH APPROACH
This system enables all water play facilities to stay fresh and modern for years to come and it also enables a water play facility to be built in phases. Each anchor can be capped, provided with a ground spray or home to an above ground feature. The Safeswap™ system is particularly helpful when building a water play project according to budget constraints as it enables the infrastructure to be placed in year one and an array of aquatic play products can be purchased annually and assembled over the course of, for example, a five year plan. A multi-site holiday park operator can also alternate products of the same flow rates between locations to keep visitors intrigued and entertained. Alternatively, or additionally, the joy of Splashpad® is a trend that has encompassed the nation and its popularity continues to grow. An area dedicated to a multitude of water play items, a splashpad is set in a zero standing water environment, making it entirely inclusive and 100% safe without any lifeguard requirement. The trend is fuelled by the inclusive pleasure involved and the fact aquatic play product development has come on a very long way. Twirltec™ enables children to turn products 360° and Orbs and Twistnozzle™ feature widely throughout the award winning Explora range, enabling children to move, twist, spin, splash and change the direction of the water jets.

DIPPY’S SPLASH ZONE has been successful at extending the length of a visit and has increased park revenues through added value sales

WATER JOURNEY
Ustigate Waterplay and Vortex have also recently added “bouncing and splashing” to their offered activities via “Hop” from their Water Journey™ collection. Hop encourages children to physically jump on three soft, padded stepping stones to be rewarded with a bigger and higher splash from the ground up. Water play has been proven to promote water confidence, happiness, excitement, exercise, cognitive behaviours and group play. All factors that aid and promote good health and social development. Interactive aquatic play is being incorporated indoors and outdoors to promote water confidence at a young age and to deliver good health and wellbeing for all ages and abilities. Being with friends and families and being active indoors and outdoors is what makes us happy, fit and strong and the pandemic has taken its toll on everyone’s physical and mental wellbeing because we have never spent more time at home indoors and away from our loved ones and activities. The negative impact of Covid closures has been great on humanity and the leisure, hospitality and aviation industries given all was brought to a standstill in 2020. The roadmap out of the Covid pandemic must also remain cautious to ensure we continue to move in the direction of a healthier and more positive future. Exercise and staying outdoors have been recommended the whole way through. An outdoor Splashpad® with several features and a recirculation system is certainly a safe, clean and exciting place to be. Inclusive water features such as the KirkleathamWalled Garden set the scene for peace and tranquillity, a shining example of Ustigate’s inclusive aquatic play schemes promote happiness and physical fitness for everyone involved.

: LADRAM BAY HOLIDAY PARK celebrated 75 years of family holidays by adding an inclusive splashpad to their facilities.

: USTIGATE design and install to all budgets

: NOW CELEBRATING ITS 17TH ANNIVERSARY, Yorkshire’s Magna Science Adventure Centre was one of the first visitor attractions to install a Ustigate splashpad

Holiday Park Scene Magazine

MAKING A SPLASH

Top tips and strategies for aquatic attractions...

GAME CHANGERS