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Creating Fun for Akron Neighborhoods with Mobile Splash Pads

Mac Love
/
Art x Love
University of Akron students (L to R) Scott Salerno, Sean Blake and Monica Lacek construct one of the toys for Akron's new mobile splash pad.

A local artist and University of Akron students will bring a mobile splash pad to Akron neighborhoods this summer. 

The "mushroom" toy featured in the splash pad.

Akron artist and business owner Mac Love teamed up with University of Akron engineering students to create portable water activities that can be hooked up to city fire hydrants. The splash pad includes two water toys so far.

Love said the idea came when he spoke to residents of every neighborhood in Akron about what recreational activities they would like to have near them.

“One of the questions that we asked a lot of people is to kind of close their eyes and think of their favorite memories of living in Akron and a lot of those memories were actually connected to the Perkins Woods pool and the Reservoir Park pool," he said. "To be able to create an opportunity to extend that joy to more areas of the neighborhood is something I think everyone is pretty proud of and looking forward to.” 

Credit Mac Love
Blake, Salerno and Lacek build the "car wash" toy for the splash pad.

Love used money from his @Play project to develop the splash pad. @Play uses Knight Foundation grant funds to bring art to every Akron neighborhood.