'Spray park' proposed for West Dundee's Huffman Park

Dundee Township Park District residents may soon have a summertime alternative to a traditional playground.

A proposal is on the table to install the park district's first spray park, a 962-square-foot play area with amenities that spray water and allow kids to run through or redirect water streams, Deputy Director Dave Peterson said.

The $200,000 play area would be built at Huffman Park, 811 Tartans Drive in West Dundee, and it would likely be open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The water features, Peterson said, would be complementary to the park's other amenities, which include a playground, soccer fields, a skate park, basketball and tennis courts and a baseball diamond.

"(The purpose) is just to give the residents of Dundee Township a different option that they haven't experienced in the past," he said. "We have plenty of playgrounds, and we strategically put this one right next to an existing playground so during the summertime, (kids) have some kind of relief from the hot weather."

Constructing a spray park, also called a splash pad, is in line with the park district's master plan, which was adopted in 2010, Peterson said. The board of commissioners will vote Wednesday on a bid recommendation. If approved, construction would begin mid-April, he said, and the park would likely open in early July.

Additionally, the West Dundee village board voted Monday to release $40,000 in land cash donation funds, generated by nearby subdivisions, toward the spray park, Village Manager Joe Cavallaro said. The land cash donation money is allotted for enhancements to park district facillities.

Remaining project costs would be funded by the park district's capital improvement fund.

The park, which would be free and open to the public, is intended for kids up to 8 years old, Peterson said. The proposal also offers seating and open space for parents. And because there's no standing water - it drains almost instantly - there's no need for staffing or lifeguards, he said.

"It's going to be a smaller sprayground that provides an enhancement to (Huffman) Park," he said. "It's pretty self-sufficient."

In creating plans for the spray park, park district staff analyzed splash pads operated by the Crystal Lake Park District.

"They're popping up more and more throughout the Chicagoland area, so we thought we'd try adding one here," Peterson said. "We're really confident it'll be well received by the residents of the Dundee Township Park District."

If the first is successful, he said, officials may consider adding spray parks in other locations, such as Carpentersville or Randall Oaks Park in West Dundee.