HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – Summer has arrived in Harrisonburg, and the Ralph Sampson Park Spraygrounds is nearly ready to help the community beat the heat.

The spraygrounds, at approximately 6,000 square feet in size with 36 different spray features and interactive elements, will open to the public following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, July 1, at 10 a.m. The amenity is the newest addition to Ralph Sampson Park and is located beside the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center at the corner of Washington Street and Simms Avenue.

Community members are invited to come out and celebrate the grand opening with a special event that will include Kona Ice – with a free Kona Ice for the first 350 guests before 12:30 p.m. – as well as giveaways, a collaborative art project and other fun and games hosted by the Harrisonburg Parks & Recreation Department.

“The Ralph Sampson Park Spraygrounds is unlike anything we have here in Harrisonburg, or even the surrounding region,” Harrisonburg Director of Parks & Recreation Brian Mancini said. “We are so excited about being able to bring this type of amenity to our community and look forward to it becoming one of the most popular places to play in all The Friendly City.”

Design of the spraygrounds grew out of community input from local families and children, who said they wanted a colorful, active water feature that could accommodate users of all ages. Spray features are spread across zones tailored for toddlers, teens and families. Interactive elements will allow children to enjoy different experiences across the park, with water spraying up from the ground, dropping out of elevated sprayers and even jetting out of features children can move around themselves. The project also includes a number of other amenities for families, such as a playground, shelters and seating areas, restrooms and green space for picnics and other activities.

The spraygrounds is one of nearly two dozen American Rescue Plan Act-funded projects – including six Parks & Rec efforts – approved by Harrisonburg City Council in December 2022. Other recreation-related projects that are either upcoming or completed include a new and improved Kids Castle Playground at Purcell Park, adding lights and restrooms to the Smithland Athletic Complex, improvements to allow for an adult athletic field at Thomas Harrison Middle School and replacement of the Westover Park Skatepark.