Public playspaces including splash pads and playgrounds are critical assets for healthy childhood development for kids and vital to the health and resilience of kids and communities. However, due to necessary COVID-19 public health measures, public playspaces across the United States closed this spring. As water playgrounds across the country reopen, it is paramount that […]
Provide Aquatic Play Areas For All
Showcased in Recreation Management Spraygrounds have gained in popularity over the past couple of decades, providing water fun on hot summer days. And with many park and recreation organizations aiming to expand their amenities to provide opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, it’s good to know that creating an inclusive splash pad experience […]
Shakopee’s Splash Pad Opens at Lion’s Park
A proposal for the installation of an all-inclusive splash pad in Lions Park was unanimously approved by the Shakopee City Council on May 21. Shakopee native Greg Stoks, managing director for the water division of Landscape Structures, Aquatix®, has offered the city the patent-pending hydraulic activator system, along with 11 water fountain features such as […]
Accepting Applications for Parks & Recreation State Speaker Scholarship Program
Landscape Structures Inc. is accepting applications for its 11th annual Parks & Recreation State Speaker Scholarship program. The program offered will provide $2,500 to support hosting keynote speakers at 2019-2020 state parks and recreation associations’ or regional or annual conferences. Since the scholarship program’s inception in 2009, Landscape Structures has awarded more than 240 scholarships […]
Creating a splash for the whole community
It is easy to be overwhelmed in the design option variety offered by Aquatix® by Landscape Structures. The best practice is to design your splash pad for play value and variability. Start by answering the following questions: Who will use the splash pad? What types of spray features should you include? Where is your water […]
Plan an Inclusive Splash Pad
Splash pads are a great way to make aqua play accessible for children and families. Even though a splash pad may be accessible to those with differing abilities, this does not inherently make it fully inclusive. Nor does designing bigger and more exciting splash pads make the water play area more inclusive. In fact, bigger […]
Planning a Community Splash Pad: Goals and Development
The second installment of our educational series on how to create a community splash pad is focusing on the goals of the splash pad and its development. The last post focused on items to be accomplished in the pre-planning stage. Goals By creating your project’s goals, decision makers and planners can refer to the objectives […]
Month of May is National Water Safety Month
National Water Safety Month 2019 kicks off on May 1st! As spring and summer temperatures climb in many parts of the world, participation in water play increases exponentially. Splash pads, water parks, and pools are a great option to cool down while developing key skills through play. In order to participate in these activities safely, […]
Creating a Community Splash Pad: Benefits and Pre-Planning
Planning a community splash pad can seem like an intimidating process. There are many aspects to consider in order to make the investment successful. In this series, we will be offering guidance on what to expect, steps to take, and planning considerations! There are benefits to investing in a community splash pad. One of the […]
Splash Pad versus Community Pool
Geographical areas that experience their version of “warm weather”, whether that be a few hot months of summer, or relatively mild temperatures nearly year round, are most likely familiar with the concept of a nearby cool-off zone. For many decades, that has meant a community pool where residents and families could gather to seek relief […]
Design Matters. Play Matters More.
We design aqua play areas and playstructures to complement their surroundings. But more than that, we design them to complement childhood. Every aesthetic choice is also a choice for fun, for growth, for learning, for exploration. All the things that make play part of shaping better adults. And that’s what really matters. Our […]
Pre-Planning for Splash Pad Considerations
Splash pads have been dubbed the new public pools, popping up in cities all over the country. The appeal of splash pads is deeply rooted in their numerous benefits. Prevalent in urban areas, as well as lesser congested areas, splash pads offer entertainment and value that is attractive to local governments, task forces, fundraising groups, […]
Continuous Education from Aquatix and Landscape Structures
Are you beginning to plan your continuing education for 2019? We can help! We are an authorized provider of continuing education edits from the International Association for Continuous Education and Training (IACET) and the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System™ (LA CES). That means we can help keep your parks and recreation department and landscape architects […]
Cool off at a Twin Cities splash pad
Aqua playgrounds-with bubblers, ground sprays, dumping buckets and platformed structures-are a hot commodity in communities across the country. And they are becoming particularly popular in and around Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. The reason? They can be less costly to build and maintain, they’re often safer than pools due to no standing water, and they’re fun for […]
Create an Inclusive Aquatic Playground
With splash pads becoming such a popular amenity in communities across the country, it’s important to create a space that is welcoming and fun for individuals of all abilities. The good news is that creating an inclusive play experience on the splash pad is simple. And best of all, it delivers a positive experience for […]
Splash play is more than just a fun way to cool off
Summer is here! And with the warm weather, visits to lakes, pools, splash pads and spray grounds become a necessity for kids (and adults) of all ages. While staying cool is definitely in the top five reasons to seek out water play, there are numerous developmental benefits for kids of all ages. Kids develop their […]
VersoSplash® Selected 2018 MVP
VersoSplash® was recently selected as a 2018 Most Valuable Product by the readers of Aquatics International! The magazine compiled the top 25 products as chosen by reader response to the January New Products Issue. Learn more about VersoSplash and look for Aquatics by Landscape Structures in the MVP Awards issue of Aquatics International in June.
May is National Water Safety Month
Stay safe this summer with these water safety tips As the temperatures warm and children and families begin to participate in more water-related recreational activities, now is a great time to revisit safe practices in and around water. Check out the following safety tips from the American Red Cross: Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards […]
Aquatix Encourages Interactivity with Two New Aqua Playstructures
Sophisticated design takes aqua play to a whole new level of fun Eden Prairie, Minn. (Feb. 7, 2018) – Aquatix by Landscape Structures, an Eden Prairie, Minn.-based aqua play equipment designer, engineer and fabricator, has introduced new aqua playstructures, HydraHub1 and HydraHub2, designed to encourage active play among children of all ages. With the sophisticated […]
Aquatix by Landscape Structures Brings Children of All Abilities Together for Aqua Play
New AquaGather Station encourages social and cooperative play for all Eden Prairie, Minn. (Jan. 31, 2018) – Aquatix by Landscape Structures, an Eden Prairie, Minn.-based aqua play equipment designer, engineer and fabricator, has introduced the AquaGather Station. This interactive water table encourages kids of all ages and abilities to socialize while they discover the many […]
Be Amazing.
Play is more than just a way to let off some steam. It’s a trial run of adulthood. Play is amazing because it shapes kids for tomorrow. Invite individuals of all ages and abilities to immerse themselves in the brilliance of an Aquatix water experience. See how Aquatix moves graceful aqua play experiences well beyond […]
Aquatic Recreation Company is now Aquatix®
Aquatix® by Landscape Structures was recently unveiled at the 2016 National Recreation and Park Association Annual Conference in St. Louis. Formerly known as Aquatic Recreation Company, the Eden Prairie, MN based company was acquired by Landscape Structures in October of 2015. The new branding was introduced to better represent the company’s status as a leader […]
Landscape Structures Acquires Aquatic Recreation Company, Expands into Water and Splash Play Market
Landscape Structures Inc., the leading designer and manufacturer of commercial playground equipment based in Delano, Minn., announced on October 5th that the company has acquired Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Aquatic Recreation Company, LLC (ARC) and Commercial Aquatic Engineering (CAE). “Water and splash play is a key part of the recreational play experience and by acquiring ARC […]
Splash Pad Renovation Part I
Why Renovate? Like any investment, all municipalities want their existing splash pads to provide years of safe fun, action and excitement for their communities. With a little foresight and creativity, there are ways to renovate your current splash pad without breaking the bank to do so. In my next series of blogs, I will […]
Water Quality…Now There’s an App for that!
With current advances in technology, there are now several manufacturers of automated chemical controllers that offer real-time monitoring and control features via network-enabled PC’s, smartphones or tablets. Water quality is a top priority when it comes to any aquatic installation, whether it be a conventional pool or splash pad. Today’s automatic chemical controllers have the […]
Come One, Come All! To the NRPA Conference!
It’s October, time once again for the annual National Recreation and Parks Association Convention, in Charlotte, North Carolina October 14th -16th 2014. Make sure to check out Aquatic Recreation Company LLC in booth 1318 at the industry’s largest trade show focused on the National Park and Recreation market. We are very proud to have both […]
Key Considerations When Planning for a Splash Pad
A recent article in Athletic Business looks at the evolution of the splash pad over the last decade or two. As splash pads continue to change over time, it is important to work with a manufacturer that understands the current and future trends of the market. Aquatic Recreation Company (ARC) continues to expand on our […]
Challenge for a Healthier Louisiana
Louisiana has one of the nations highest obesity rates. Obesity increases the risk of Type II Diabetes, heart disease, depression and other serious health problems. Experts agree that physical activity and healthy eating are keys to preventing obesity. Lifestyle choices have direct influences in our health, and since our environment, at the community level, […]
Spring Training Season is Here!
Batter up! Our ARC sales team has been busy this spring hosting a number of hands-on training sessions with our talented sales representatives from around the world. An important part of our sales process here at Aquatic Recreation Company (ARC) is making sure our entire sales team is ready to step-up to the plate with […]
Only 90 days left until Memorial Day! Is your Splash Pad ready for Summer?
If you are like most of us, you probably feel that this Winter has been unusually tough! Lots of cold, snow, ice, and polar vortex assaults. But we here at ARC can assure you that Spring is just around the corner, in fact, Memorial Day, the official Summer kick-off weekend is just about 90 days […]
New Look, New Feel, Same Exceptional Products & Service.
Today I could not be more excited to introduce our new website, blog, and brand to the world! For the past several months, everyone here at Aquatic Recreation Company has been busy collaborating on our new look and feel. The new site, aquatix.playlsi.com, includes much more content, is easier to navigate and highlights numerous examples […]
