BY LEW MOORES
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP -- The water will be turned on at 11 a.m. today at Parky's Ark at Winton Woods Harbor, becoming the Hamilton County Park District's second major wet playground.
While most of the harbor area has been open to the public since late March, today's Grand Reopening of the harbor area will introduce Parky's Ark to the public.
Parky's Ark is equipped with 130 water jets that spray from 18 animal figures, including turtles, a bullfrog, crocodile and animals hanging from the ark itself, as well as a rainbow structure. "Everything out here is being well-used," said Robert Kline, development director for the park district. "When this water playground opens, these hot days will give people a reason to come and stick around."
The Grand Reopening offers a fishing tournament and fishing clinics, musical entertainment, naturalist programs and activities at nearby Parky's Farm.
Parky's Ark is near the pavilion at the parking lot. An adult - child fishing tournament, which required advance registration, concludes at 1 p.m.
Professional anglers will share tips about fishing at a 5,000-gallon aquarium at noon, 2, 3, 4 and 5 p.m. near the new Winton Boathouse. Musical performances will take place at the pavilion at noon, 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Naturalists will present live bird of prey programs at the pavilion at 12:30 p.m., 2:30, 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
Parky's Ark joins the park district's Parky's Pirate Ship wet playground at Miami Whitewater Forest in Crosby Township.
"This one has more spray elements," said Mr. Kline of Parky's Ark. "Size-wise, they're about the same."
Winton Woods Harbor opened in March after being closed for two seasons for $8.5 million in improvements.
A floating boathouse was built, a 1.7-mile hike - bike trail was added, its playground was upgraded and relocated, its shelterhouse was renovated and Lakeview Drive, which runs through the park, was realigned and moved to higher ground because the area is prone to flooding.
The project began in 1996 following the dredging of Winton Woods Lake and the removal of 930,000 cubic yards of silt, making for a cleaner lake and restoring about 30 surface acres to the 188-acre lake.
