UPDATE: On Monday, Chatham-Kent council approved a plan that could see splash pads across the municipality open early.
Municipal staff will review the opening and closing dates of all splash pads to open them earlier in the year and shut them down later.
A report is expected to come back to council sometime in July or August.
A Chatham councillor will be asking the Municipality of Chatham-Kent to open splash pads longer in order to maximize their use.
Brock McGregor told council this week that he plans to introduce a motion at the next council meeting on Monday to have administration review the opening and closing dates of all splash pads across the municipality to open them earlier in the year and shut them down later because temperatures are getting hotter earlier in the season and staying warmer later.
He also said the popular Kingston Park splash pad in Chatham opens two weeks later than all other municipal splash pads and would like the dates revised as soon as possible.
McGregor told CK News Today that splash pads are popular for both cooling and physical activity and that he's heard from residents wondering why the opening of the splash pad at Kingston Park is always delayed.
"One of the things that has been brought forward to me by some residents in the past couple of years was the Kingston Park splash pad in particular was opened later that the other splash pads. Understanding that it's a little more complicated splash pad to open, but that resulted in having some hot days earlier in the Spring when we weren't able to use the splash pad," said McGregor. "Communities really rely on those types of recreational infrastructure to keep kids busy on the weekend and get that activity in and I want to make sure that we're opening those when they need to be open and making sure we're using those assets the best way that we can to really promote people being active."
McGregor said splash pads across Chatham-Kent are usually closed just after the Labour Day weekend and added it would be nice if they stayed open longer if it is possible.
