Provided engineering and construction management services to renovate the Miller Evans Logan Recreation Center in the City of Elizabeth. Half of the recreational space was occupied by an empty building, and the City opted to tear down this unused structure and construct a water park in its place. Project space was limited, so our professionals designed the water park with a composite play structure to fully utilize every available inch. The site incorporates short and tall slides, mounted spray toys, water-play and shade structures, ADA compliance, and a mechanical building to house utilities. The crowning feature is the 26-gallon dumping bucket that sits atop the structure. Every three minutes, the bucket fills with water until it topples over and spills onto visitors underneath, an appealing element to area children.

Because water park upkeep can be expensive, materials were chosen to keep costs low for the City. A state-of-the-art rainmaker system was installed to control when and how the water is turned on, and valves allow operators to orchestrate the water flow out of each spray unit. This system interacts with activation bollards that use photo sensors to detect movement. If no one is using the park, the water remains off. The park’s water system was designed to self-drain naturally through back-pitched pipes, thereby decreasing maintenance, enabling easy repairs, and avoiding frost damage. As safety is of the utmost importance, a lead-free backflow preventer was installed to prohibit contaminants from entering the water supply. Children who accidentally ingest the water are safe from pollutants. Combining these measures helped offset the cost burden on the City and ensured a safe play environment.