New Nashua splash pad a big hit

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

It’s simple — put on your swim trunks, touch the magic red post and let the fun begin.

No doubt about it, Nashua’s new splash pad is a big hit — at least it is with Jeremy Iriarte’s kids.

“This is the first time we’ve been here since it opened,” said Iriarte, who lives just outside of Nashua. “We come to this park quite a bit, the kids love coming here, and this addition just adds another aspect to it. I like it.”

Cloudy skies and some periodic rain kept the crowds away from the mini-waterpark on Tuesday, but Iriarte and his family found some time after supper to let the kids try out the new attraction at Cedar View Park, which has been open to the public since June 1.

The community raised nearly $90,000 to fund the splash pad. Nashua’s Shelly Johnson and Chase and Olivia Sudol came up with the idea and joined forces late last summer. A “Splash Pad Committee,” which also included Peggy Kelleher Hall and Barb Lumley, among others, worked to raise the funds. The initial goal was $100,000, and the committee hopes to raise the rest to add items like signage, an extra security camera and landscaping.

The city of Nashua agreed to do the pre-site work and provide the sewer and water lines to the pad while businesses, organizations and individual donors stepped up to help the committee raise thousands of dollars.

In April, an Ohio-based company, My Splash Pad, arrived at Cedar View Park to install the pad, and this spring, Brian Hackman Construction worked on preparing the rest of the site.

Iriarte said he was impressed with the results.

“I think it’s great,” he said. “I appreciate them putting it in here. The kids are really enjoying it.”

The splash pad has numerous below-ground nozzles shooting water into the air, along with above-ground water attractions such as a large mushroom, single bucket dump, hoop, fountain fun, alligator, crab, sun spray and a duck.

The splash pad is open from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. through the summer. To start water flowing at the splash pad, all one has to do is touch the red activator pole. The water shuts off automatically.