Ottawa's Best Splash Pads

As I write this, the City of Ottawa is in another heat wave and public health has issued a heath warning, reminding people to keep cool, stay hydrated and avoid strenuous physical activity outdoors.

Staying cool while still keeping kids occupied can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, but luckily with all of the public pools, libraries and splash pads around town, keeping cool is possible. One of my daughter’s favourite ways to cool off is at a local splash pad with her friends and luckily Ottawa has many splash pads, with more being built every year!

If you’re headed to a splash pad this summer, here is a list of some of Ottawa’s best!

Brewer Park, 100 Brewer Way

The Brewer Park splash pad is one of the city’s best! So many water fountains and structures, kids are sure to have fun and stay cool for hours! It’s too levels connected by a slide (which is currently out of service). Some of the jets blast water two stories high while other nozzles bubble little fountains for younger kids to play with. This splash pad is perfect for kids of all ages!

Citiplace Splash Pad, 285 Citiplace Drive

This splash pad includes a windmill and spraying loop and also has a covered sitting area for parents to supervise in the shade!

Centrepointe Splash Pad, 260 Centrepointe Drive.

This splash pad has a tipping bucket, a spraying loop, a bird that showers water and much more. There are some shady spots under trees and lots of room for kids to play in the grass while they dry off.

Fisher Park Splash Pad, 250 Holland Avenue

Although the park that houses this splash pad is older, the splash pad is newer and there are plenty of mature trees to give parents shade.

Lansdowne Water Plaza, 1015 Bank Street

Not a lot of bells and whistles here, but children and adults are welcome to hop in and out of the 55 gentle water jets to cool off, which is fun for all ages!

Millennium Park Splash Pad, Trim Road

Millennium Park Splash Pad

This pirate themed splash pad has a gazebo to give parents some shade as they get wet under the tipping bucket or sprayed by a dragon.

Plant Splash Pad, 930 Somerset West

A spraying fire hydrant, a showering rainbow and several fountains make this splash pad a lot of fun for children of all ages!

Walden Park Splash Pad, 130 Walden Drive

Located in Kanata North, the Walden Park Splash Pad has ample parking as well as lots of areas for parents to sit along the rocks (and if you’re lucky enough you’ll get a little wet too!). There are spraying circles and tall showers to cool off kids of all ages.

Walter Baker Splash Pad, 100 Charlie Rogers Place

Walter Baker Park Splash Pad

With a tall dome, a water cannon and fountains combined with mature trees for shade make this park a great place for parents too. This splash pad isn't overly big, but it is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.

City of Ottawa splash pads are open from May until September (weather permitting). For more information on splash pad locations within the City of Ottawa, visit their website at: https://ottawa.ca/en/recreation-and-parks/swimming#splash-pads-summer-only

Do you have a great splash pad to add to the list? Leave a comment and let us know!

Balena Park

by Lara We have so many great parks in Ottawa and we love to hear about what YOUR favourite parks are.  Over the years we've written about all kinds of parks around the city.  If you'd like to write a post about yours, send us an email at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com - we'd love to share it!

Balena Park

We live in Orleans where we have access to a lot of great splash pads, but there's something so special about the old wading pools that I try to make at least a few visits to them each year.  Balena is a park that is generally quiet and not over crowded, with a great pool and great structures.

There are three different structures plus swing sets for the kids to play on.  It keeps them entertained for hours on end.

Wading pool

The wading pool is the highlight for the kids.  There is a shallow area for babies (which comes to about mid-shin on me) and the deeper area is probably only about 2-2.5 feet deep.  It's great because the kids all feel comfortable in the water (this is the first summer, at 5, I've let them in without a life jacket on though) and there are lifeguards on duty. Unfortunately the wading pools are only open for a couple more weeks, but if you have a chance, check them out (and the special events they often hold) before then! They also aren't generally ready for swimmers until about 11 since the pools are emptied every night and have to be re-filled in the morning.

Crafts

Another feature of all the wading pools is that the lifeguards are all equipped with craft supplies!  When the kids are ready for a break in the shade they can head over and they'll have an activity to keep them busy!

Here are a few other Park posts from over the years:

Brewer Park

Carp splash pad

Springhurst

A few other favourites

What's your favourite Ottawa area park?

Carp Splash Pad

by Anne

On a record breaking June day,(and yes even though june is not over it had to be record breaking 30+degrees!) I packed up the children in the car complete with an assortment of pails,diggers and dumptrucks. My children were excited to go to the rainbow park as they have named it. The drive there includes a game of what can you see-a mooing cow, smiling cat on sign, sheds, train tracks and more. Carp splash pad is located 14km from Stittsville, just behind Carp's farmers market(carp road- then turn onto Juanita rd). I usually park behind the baseball diamond as it is the middle of both parks.

The sand playground is comprised of swings, a seated digger, small structure of younger ones with a table for snacks, as well as a larger structure for older children with curvy slide, and straight slides. The entire area is fenced in which is a huge bonus for those parents who have runners. There is also mature trees that line the playground giving lots of shade and plenty of benches and picnic tables for nursing and providing snacks.

When the children are hot and have tired of the playground it is onto the short walk to the amazing splash pad. Equipped with pouring buckets,rainbow sprinklers, squirt guns, and a flower that sprays you it has variety for everyone. Did I also mention the other reasons I love this park? Again fenced in, shaded picnic area, and a CLEAN jonny on the spot.

Anne is the proud mom of two children, 2.5 and 4.