Tri-Cities newest splash pad opens in time for summer. Enjoy it for free
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- Kennewick unveiled its first recirculating splash pad at Civic Park on Friday.
- The $481,000 project was funded by federal block grants and opened on schedule.
- New splash pad offers free access, modern water fixtures and safety guidelines.
Dapper in their colorful swimsuits, Tri-Cities youth dashed, dipped and ducked at the region’s newest splash pad on Friday.
The City of Kennewick and Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting event at the new Civic Park Splash Pad, located next to the Kenneth Serier Pool at 315 West 6th Avenue.
Nick Farline, the city’s director of parks, recreation and facilities, says the $481,000 project is all about connecting community, providing more opportunities for residents and fostering a better quality of life.
It’s the city’s first recirculating splash pad, with enough capacity to clean, filter and discharge up to 120 gallons of water per minute.
“This is more than just a fun place for the community to come and cool off on a hot day,” he said. “It truly is a testament to what we can achieve when we all come around a shared vision.”
The splash pad is a free, low-barrier resource for residents in the downtown Kennewick area. It’s also part of a larger reimagination of recreational opportunities at the city campus, where city officials are weighing options to fund and replace the 70-year-old Kenneth Serier pool.
The feature was funded by Community Development Block Grants from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, and recommended to the city council by the Block Grant Advisory Board. It opened on time and on budget.
A proclamation in admiration of the new amenity and declaring May 30, 2025, a “day of celebration” was read by Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Torelli.
Kennewick Splash Pad features
The Civic Park Splash Pad was built in place of a recently demolished sandbox near the mushroom wading pool, said Kylie Peel, the city’s community development coordinator.
It features a state-of-the-art water pump systems with a 3,000-gallon tank. There are nearly a dozen water fixtures of various sizes to wade through, including a mini mushroom, a bucket dump that fills every 10 seconds and jet arches.
Here are the Civic Park Splash Pad hours:
- Pre-Pool Season, May 24-June 8: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Pool Season, June 14-Aug. 16: 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, and noon to 7:30 p.m. Sundays.
- Post-Pool Season, Aug. 17-Sept. 1: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
Showers will be available at the pool during hours of operation.
All persons under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.
A minimum of two people must be at the pool facility at all times if being used by persons 17 years old or younger.
No food, drinks or animals are allowed on the pad.
This story was originally published May 30, 2025 at 5:18 PM.
