DAPHNE — A new splash pad will be installed at Joe Louis Patrick Park.

Plans for the outdoor summertime amenity were initiated last year when Daphne City Council approved the budget to add the splash pad and new playground equipment to the park as the city looks to make additions and improvements to recreational areas. The bid for labor and installation was awarded to Struthers Recreation LLC for $122,665.

During a recent city council meeting where the plan was approved, Council President Ron Scott expressed his excitement for the project, citing the city’s goal to expand upon their outdoor recreation with hopes that locals will take advantage of the new recreational opportunities that are coming to the area.

“This is an area that has been needed for quite some time,” Scott said. “We made some major improvements in that area, and this is just another step, making sure that we’ve got complete recreational opportunities for folks all over the city, so it’s really exciting to me.”

This will be the second splash pad in Daphne. In 2022, the city opened one at the Daphne Sports Complex just in time for the hot summer season. According to the City of Daphne, the new splash pad will be specifically for children ages 8-10 years old, and components of the new splash pad will feature an ecofriendly "re-circulated water treatment” system.

Both the splash pad and the new playground equipment at Joe Louis Patrick Park are expected to cost around $250,000. Though the exact timeline is not set in stone, the city hopes for the new splash pad to be open in time for the upcoming summer season.