With temperatures soaring into the 90s, kids and adults alike have begun the search for something cool to do.

Edisto Memorial Gardens' new Spray Park, with its brightly colored equipment and refreshing streams of water, may prove to be just the spot for escaping the heat.

The cutting-edge recreational facility, located in the Sunnyside Canal area near the Orangeburg Arts Center on Riverside Drive, boasts a 6,000-square-foot cement spray pad, a covered picnic area, a modern playground and a bathhouse with restrooms and showers.

The cost of the park is estimated at between $470,000 to $490,000, with funding coming from four sources. According to Buster Smith, director of parks and recreation, $150,000 came from the city's 2 percent tax, $140,000 from Orangeburg County's penny tax for infrastructure and capital projects, $150,000 from a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant and a $30,000 donation from the Dick Horne Foundation.

The local architectural firm of Summers & Associates developed the overall design of the multi-faceted park and provided the specifications for contractors of Cleckley and McGee Inc. to work from in completing the site preparation, building, electricity and plumbing.

Aquatic Designs Inc. of Greensboro, N.C., was awarded the contract for the spray pad portion of the park. The spray pad boasts various colorful pieces including a rainbow, a sprouting flower and soaking shooters. The water spraying jets, set on a computerized cycle of four minutes, may be turned on by pressing the black-topped red poles called activation ballards.

"The system uses the same type of filtering, chlorination and recirculation as a regular swimming pool," Smith said.

There is no standing water and little waste as the water continuously flows into drains and is recycled.

The official dedication ceremony for the aquatic playground will take place at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, with regular operation of the park beginning on Saturday, May 29. City employees and their children were invited for a special sneak preview of the park on Thursday.

The park will be open to the public Monday through Saturday for two sessions daily, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Sundays the hours of operation are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There will be two employees on duty in the park at all times.

Everyone admitted into the fenced-in area must pay a fee. Admission for children ages 12 and under is $1. For those 13 and older, the charge is $2 per person. Children under the age of 10 must be under the direct supervision of someone 16 years old or older.

The park is a smoke-free environment. No alcoholic beverages or illegal substances are allowed on the premises. Pets are not allowed. The use of glassware, or other materials with a tendency to shatter on impact, will not be permitted inside the park. Music will be broadcast for the enjoyment of park attendees; therefore, radios and CD players are forbidden inside the park.

Proper swim attire is required in the Spray Park. Thong-type swimwear and transparent-colored suits will not be allowed. Also, only specially designed swim diapers will be acceptable. There will be no running or rough playing. Individuals engaging in unsafe or disruptive behavior will be asked to leave the park and may be banned for an additional period of time.

In addition to normal park operation, the Parks and Recreations Department will make the Spray Park available for rental. Rentals will be offered after regular operating hours for a period up to three hours and be given access to the entire park including restrooms and shower facilities.

"We anticipate rental opportunities for birthday parties and other functions," Smith said. "We are already getting favorable response from area day cares

Interested renters should call Jan Fanning, administrative assistant of the Parks and Recreation Department, at 803-533-6020.

T&D Correspondent Donna L. Holman can be reached by e-mail at ladyflyer7@msn.com

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