Turtle Cove Splash Pad Brings Summer Fun, Accessibility and Community to Festus

The new Turtle Cove splash pad at Larry G. Crites Memorial Park is expected to open soon, bringing water play, an all-inclusive playground, food truck nights and a new community gathering place to one of Festus’ most family-friendly parks.

Barb Lowry, Recreation and Tourism Director for the City of Festus, said families arriving at Turtle Cove will immediately know they are somewhere special.

Lowry said she often sees children gathering around the sign for photos before running off to play. Behind that sign, families will find the all-inclusive playground on one side and the splash pad on the other, all designed with safety, accessibility and imagination in mind.

Built With Families In Mind

One of the first things parents may notice is the fencing around the space.

Lowry said that was intentional.

The splash pad itself packs a lot into one space.

Lowry said children will find water features throughout the pad, including ground sprayers, a large tree feature that sprays water, a dump bucket topped with the Turtle Cove turtle, a slide, an activity table and a log-flume-style feature where children can move and direct the water as they play.

The goal, she said, is simple.

One of the most important pieces of the project is the way it pairs the splash pad with the all-inclusive playground already just steps away.

Lowry said Festus has nice playgrounds, but the city wanted to create a space that offered more accessibility and summer fun for families.

“We didn’t have one that was all inclusive, and we didn’t have any that had any kind of water,” Lowry said.

Lowry said splash pads offer a more practical option for the city than other water options, like pools. Because there is no standing water, the splash pad does not require lifeguards in the same way a pool would.

That also makes the space easier to operate while still giving families a place to cool down during the summer.

Lowry said the park is not just for Festus residents, either. She expects families from across the area to visit Turtle Cove.

“We wanted one also for our residents, and not just for our residents, everyone in the surrounding area,” Lowry said.

Opening Plans And Park Hours

The city is hoping to open the splash pad on Monday, May 18. After that, the typical plan is for Turtle Cove to be open Tuesday through Sunday, with Mondays reserved for maintenance, cleaning and any repairs that may be needed.

Lowry said the expected hours will likely be around 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., giving crews time in the morning to empty trash cans and prepare the area before families arrive.

The park also gives parents a chance to either sit back or join in.

There are benches for families who want to watch their children play, but Lowry said the playground equipment is built to handle more than just small children.

She pointed to the zip line as one example, saying it is rated for up to 500 pounds.

“If mom and dad want to ride on the zip line with their kids, jump on,” Lowry said. “You are not going to hurt it.”

Then she added the line that may best capture the spirit of the whole project.

First Fridays Bring Families Together

Turtle Cove is also becoming home to First Fridays, a new monthly event designed to help families enjoy the park, support local food trucks and ease into the weekend close to home.

Lowry said the city recently held its first First Fridays event at Turtle Cove, and it quickly showed how the park can become a community gathering place.

Families played at the park, walked the trail, rode scooters, visited the ball fields, grabbed dinner from food trucks and spent the evening outside together.

First Fridays will typically be held on the first Friday of the month, though Lowry said July will be moved to the second Friday to avoid Fourth of July weekend, and September will be moved to the third Friday to avoid Labor Day weekend and Twin City Days.

The events are expected to feature four food trucks and a DJ from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Lowry said families are welcome to come early, especially if they want to grab food before the larger crowds arrive. She said the first event started slower between 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., then picked up quickly as school let out and families began arriving after work.

Food trucks are rotated throughout the season so visitors can expect some variety at future First Fridays events.

Lowry said she also appreciated the role the DJ played in creating a fun atmosphere for both children and adults.

“He was really good,” Lowry said. “He’d say, ‘I want to play stuff that mom and dad want to hear, but once in a while I slide in a Baby Shark or slide in something that the kids want to hear too.’”

A Community Space Close To Home

For the city, the splash pad and First Fridays both fit into a larger goal: creating a place where families can gather, children can play safely and the community can spend time together without having to leave town.

Lowry said residents can help by treating the park the way they would want others to treat their own space.

That means throwing away trash, keeping food and litter picked up, keeping pets out of the splash pad area, closing the gate and gently reminding others to use the equipment properly when needed.

With summer approaching, Turtle Cove is shaping up to be more than a splash pad. It is a place for children to cool off, parents to relax, families to play together and the Festus community to gather close to home.

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