ASHLAND — Children jumped off the high dive, participated in games and danced to a DJ during Ashland’s second “The Big Splash!” Saturday.
The event at Brookside Pool from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. included free entrance and a free meal for children under 15 years of age.
“The purpose is to give every child the chance to get a first-class, wonderful, fun experience at no cost,” Ashland Mayor Matt Miller said at the start of Saturday’s event.
Children and adults alike adorned leis, sunglasses and other colorful accessories as they filled the pool area. The pool itself was filled with almost 2,000 rubber ducks, Miller said, as well as beach balls of various sizes.
Upon entrance, children could enter their names in a raffle to be selected to go inside giant inflatable hamster balls.
Missy Dropsey, manager at Brookside Pool, inflated the balls using a leaf blower, with the help of the pool lifeguards. Once the balls filled with air, children were free to attempt to run across the pool while inside.
Many ended up crawling and flipping around inside as they moved through the water, but with smiles on their faces.
Other activities included a hula hoop contest, chalk drawing, ball tosses, a competition for biggest splash, group dances on the pool deck, and more.
Dropsey said the pool brought in extra lifeguards for Saturday’s event. While there is typically five guards on duty at a time, Dropsey said, there were around 15 present Saturday.
“It takes the whole group of us to do it,” Dropsey said, also referring to those from the city of Ashland who helped organize and fundraise.
Amanda Patterson, Ashland’s director of communications and an organizer of the event, said the Big Splash was funded entirely through donations, with local businesses as well as individuals providing financial contributions and contest prizes.
EVA’s treats in Ashland donated frozen yogurt cups which were given out for free during the event. Local businesses including Whoopsie Daisy Bowtique, a children’s store, donated prizes for the various contests, Patterson said.
A Chick-fil-A truck located just outside the pool perimeter offered free meals, a sandwich and fries, for children 15 years old or younger, and the option to purchase food for those over 15.
Miller said he reached out to Chick-fil-A to see if it would provide meals, and the Strongsville location donated a portion of the cost, with The Norma June Foundation helping cover the rest, Miller said.
Miller said Ashland had been collecting donations for the events throughout the year.
The idea for “The Big Splash!” began after the city established what Miller called the “sparkle committee” in 2019 to develop events families could enjoy year-round. The committee comprises Miller; Patterson; Jason Counts, the city’s parks director; and Kelly Marshall, executive administrative assistant for the city.
While the city canceled the event in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event returned Saturday with hundreds of people in attendance.
Another community event that came out of the “sparkle committee” will return after being canceled in 2020 as well — “Let’s Glow Golfing!” This event will be at Brookside Golf Course on June 18, from 9:30 to 11 p.m, which will also be free for area children ages four through 15.
Brookside Pool usually charges an entrance fee — for children four to nine $3, 10 to 15 $4, and everyone $16 and older $5, with the discounted price of $2 for caregivers. Children under 15 years old had free entrance Saturday, and those 16 and older paid a discounted rate of $2.
