May 9, 2012 Vol. 91 No. 19
Hazelwood re-opens Musick Park Sprayground in grand style on May 12.
Lights, Water, Play!
IN this Issue
A common scene driving through a neighborhood on a hot summer day is a group of children running through the sprinklers in order to cool off. Kids living in Hazelwood will be able to enjoy this fun activity on a much larger scale when the city of Hazelwood celebrates the grand re-opening of its sprayground at Musick Park on Saturday, May 12. The event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Musick Park, located at Hanley Road and Latty Avenue, is one of 16 city parks maintained by the city of Hazelwood. It features 6.6 acres of parkland, one pavilion, picnic sites, a large playground area, a climbing wall, a fitness course, lighted tennis courts, horseshoe pits, and a sports field. In 2007, Hazelwood dedicated several of these first-class amenities, including a sprayground which replaced an old swimming pool. At the time, city officials determined that it wasn’t economically feasible for a municipality to run multiple pool facilities, especially with their plans to build a $5.7 million dollar Aquatic Center in White Birch Park which opened in July 2008. The Musick Park sprayground became a popular hangout for people of all ages. Parents brought their children there to run through the water sprays. Some parents were even seen playing in the water with their kids, re-living their childhood memories of summer fun. It was also easy for older children to walk there or ride their bikes from neighboring subdivisions. Unfortunately, the harsh winter of 2010 caused the pipes underneath to freeze and break, forcing the city to close the facility for repairs. The city of Hazelwood hired Midwest Pool and Court Company as the general contractor to do the renovations. ImproveAround Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Photo courtesy of the city of Hazelwood
ments made to the sprayground include the following: upgrades to all facets of the spray pad including the mechanical equipment, pipe configurations, spray heads, concrete surfacing, and fencing. Plus, there will be 30 adjustable spray heads that can shoot water up in the air. In some respects, these enhancements have made the sprayground better than it was when it first opened. “One of the things we did was to install a 24/7 automated Chemtrol system which regulates the chlorine and PH to ensure proper chemical balance and sanitation,” said Mike Hampton of Midwest Pool and Court Company. “We also added a textured, skid-resistant surface, which is better than what was used earlier, to help prevent people from falling on the wet pavement.” Another new addition that makes the Musick Park sprayground stand out from the rest is the use of multi-colored lighting that is UL listed for interactive play. “Hazelwood’s sprayground is the first facility in the region to use this type of lighting, which allows children to interLearn & Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Movie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. • O’Fallon, MO 63366
act with the water while the lights are but they’re not designed for people to on,” said Doug Littlefield, Hazelwood play in them for safety reasons.” Littlefield pointed out that Midwest Parks and Recreation Division supervisor. “Most water fountains use UL lightSee SPRAYGROUND page 3 ing at night for beautification purposes,
Movie Talk
See Movie page 9
“The Avengers” - Photo courtesy of Marvel
Joe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Shelly Schneider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
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What’s Happening . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-15
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