Louisville Zoo’s Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run
wins prestigious Dream Design Award from
Aquatics International Magazine

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Louisville Zoo’s popular Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run recently won Aquatics International magazine’s 2009 annual Dream Design Award for Best Splash Park and was featured in the recent July/August 2009 issue.

Designed by Louisville firm Weber Group, the nautically, arctic themed splash park is the ideal place for families and children of all ages to escape Kentucky’s hot summer days. Featuring 42 unique spray events (which means 42 ways to get wet), it includes a 20-foot long and 25-foot high fishing boat for kids to explore, slides, dump buckets and jelly-jet launcher. A polar bear and sea lion sculpture also adorn the splash park and provide picture-perfect photo opportunities.

Founded in 1989, Aquatics International is the only publication devoted exclusively to commercial and public swimming pool industries. The magazine provides detailed information on design, building techniques, maintenance, promotion, management and programming for aquatics facilities. 

This is the fifth year for the Dream Design Awards. Aquatics International editor, Gary Thill remarked, “The Dream Designs issue features the most innovative, exciting projects in the industry, and as always they celebrate the best and brightest in aquatics. These projects are a team effort and it’s a team effort that produces the most spectacular results.”

New to zoos, but not the aquatics industry, splash parks are designed with safe, family fun in mind including no standing water, special areas just for toddlers, and cushioned playground surfaces. Louisville Zoo’s Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run also features plenty of comfortable and shaded seating and since it is fenced, it has an enhanced safety element of only one way in and out.

The nautically, arctic themed Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run serves at the entryway to the Louisville Zoo’s upcoming Glacier Run exhibit, which is currently under construction. Modeled after an imaginary mining town located on the edge of the arctic wilderness and based on the idea that humankind and nature must co-exist, Glacier Run will tell the dramatic story of the polar bear, one of the most charismatic species on the planet becoming more threatened every day, and also engage visitors of all ages, educating them about the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Glacier Run will inspire visitors to actively participate in the Zoo’s mission of bettering the bond between people and our planet.

“Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run was the fulfillment of a long-term dream of balancing critical conservation messaging with cool wet fun during a hot summer visit,” Louisville Zoo Director John Walczak said. “A friend and colleague of mine coined the beautiful phrase, ‘You must touch the heart to teach the mind.’ It is a lot easier to do this when everyone one is relaxed and having fun. While the Zoo is a place dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors and leadership in scientific research and conservation education, it is also a place where families can escape the day-to-day hustle and bustle and relax and enjoy time together. In this economy, we provide a quiet respite and quality family fun at an excellent value. Our focus is to engage visitors when they visit the Zoo and our interactive aquatic playground helps to advance the Zoo’s mission of ‘bettering the bond between people and our planet’ through education, recreation and quality family fun. The Dream Design Award for Calistoga Splash Park is welcome recognition in support of that mission.”

The Louisville Zoo is just one of a few zoos in the country to boast a splash park facility. This forward-thinking project extends visitors’ length of stay at the Zoo by “weather proofing” it when it gets too hot. It also provides a new and different variety of family-focused fun. Since the splash park opened in 2007, the Zoo has experienced consecutive years of record breaking attendance (the most recent was more than 835,000 visitors during the 2008-2009 fiscal year). It is clear that the splash park has contributed to that success.

Weber Group President Tom Weber said increasing visitors’ length of stay and enjoyment at the Zoo is one of the primary purposes for Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run. “It’s a fun way of helping tell the story of the importance of conservation and how each person can participate in ensuring animals’ habitat,” he said. “The melting of the polar ice caps is something even younger visitors can grasp when they are surrounded by gallons and gallons of ‘melted ice.’ We were proud to be a part of such an exciting endeavor and appreciate the chance to work with the great team at the Louisville Zoo.”

Calistoga Splash Park at Glacier Run is free with Zoo admission or membership. It is open during regular Zoo hours May 1 through September 20 (weather permitting). It closes 30 minutes before the Zoo closes each evening. 

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The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Visit www.louisvillezoo.org to learn more.

Weber Group is a metro Louisville based design, build, and specialty fabrication company with broad experience in branded and immersive environments. For 25 years, the team has brought projects to life in a wide range of industries including zoos, museums, amusement and water parks, hotel and hospitality, and commercial construction environments. Services include architecture and construction and are offered separately or jointly. Visit www.webergroupinc.com to learn more.

For more information on Aquatics International’s Dream Designs Awards, visit www.aquaticsintl.com

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