After spending several years on the parish’s project list, the St. Charles Parish Parks and Recreation Department unveiled formal plans last month to create a new West Bank Spray Park, with construction bidding period set to close on May 9th. Once the final bid is selected, the new spray park will be sent to the St. Charles Parish Council for approval before construction crews are able to break ground.
Parks and Recreation Assistant Director and Public Relations Officer Alissa Cavaretta says it’s still too early to give a timeline for completion, as several pre-construction and public approval steps had not yet been completed. Should the new spray park receive Parish Council approval, it is likely the park would not be ready until 2024 or later. Parish officials were able to confirm where the new park will be built, however.
“It’s going to be [located] in our Community Center Complex, right adjacent to the Veterans Memorial Plaza,” Cavaretta said. “It will be a huge addition for us, coming soon.”
Current plans call for adding a new outdoor restroom facility along with more parking as a compliment to the new water park. Once complete, Cavaretta says parish residents already familiar with the Ormond Spray Park in Destrehan will notice many familiar features to its new sister West Bank Spray Park.
“They should be very similar in nature,” Cavaretta added.
In other news related to St. Charles Parish’s spray parks – the Ormond Spray Park in Destrehan reopened to the public for weekends only starting May 6, from 1 pm to 6 pm. Currently the parish’s sole water park, the Ormond Spray Park will begin operating its full summer schedule Tuesday thru Sundays, 1 PM to 6 PM starting on May 30. The park will remain closed for maintenance on Mondays.
Cavaretta says the Ormond Spray Park has been a huge hit with parish residents, evident by the high volume of online comments it garners each year.
“Every year when we post something about the spray park opening, it easily reaches our top 10 in interactions, top 10 in shares,” Cavaretta said. “People anticipate the summer opening.”
Located at 1901 Ormond Boulevard, the gated park includes timed water features including spray fountains, elevated water bucket station, tunnel spray features and shaded rest areas, all designed to help local families have fun and stay cool. Restroom facilities are located nearby. Admission is free to the public during normal operating hours, with private rentals available from 10 AM to Noon during the summer operating season.
The Ormond Spray Park’s sails – the large, covered areas providing shade near the rest areas of the spray park – were damaged during Hurricane Ida, which in part delayed the park’s opening last year. New sails have since been installed, allowing residents to enjoy the park earlier this year, giving plenty of needed shade from the harsh Louisiana summer sun.
The Ormond Spray Park is geared towards families with elementary-aged children, primarily those with children under 62 inches in height. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Proper swim attire is required; smoking, food, pets, and glass containers are prohibited on and near the spray pad areas. Residents can visit St. Charles Parish’s Parks and Recreation website for more information regarding the Ormond Spray Park, full schedule, rental information, and park rules.
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