Pine Township booking reservations for splash pad

North Hills residents looking for a way to help their kids beat the summer heat can now make a reservation to use Pine Township’s splash pad for free.

To adhere to coronavirus guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state health department, the splash pad is only permitted to operate at 50% capacity, or 82 guests.

To limit the number of patrons using the splash pad at one time, reservations are required.

Splash pad sessions can be booked for a maximum of of 1 hour and 45 minutes. Reservations can be made 48 hours before a customer’s preferred time slot and end at 8 a.m. on the day registration has been booked.

In addition to practicing social distancing with people other than immediate family members, visitors are required to wear protective masks when they enter and exit the splash pad and restrooms, and while speaking with staff members.

Detailed rules for using the splash pad are available online.

The splash pad is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The aquatic playground has more than three dozen components featuring sprays and fountains. It is located near the soccer fields in Pine Community Park.

The township debuted the splash pad last summer. It cost about $750,000 and was constructed with a $250,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, according to township officials.

The remainder of the money for the project was covered by the township’s recreation fund, which had been building up for a number of years with fees paid for new developments and residential building permits.

A requirement of the state grant is that the splash pad also be open to resident who live outside the township.