Located next to Gatton Park's Adventure Playground in Lexington, Kentucky, this interactive water play project combines fun with scientific exploration. Designed by Sasaki and Goric Playgrounds with equipment by Kaiser & Keuhne, this custom creation was built directly into the multi-level landscape. The layered play system integrates play, education, and ecological restoration, encouraging hands-on learning about hydrology and local water systems. The celebration of water at Gatton Park supports one of the original ideas behind the park: reveal, revive, and connect the community to Lexington's original water source, Town Branch Creek. Most recently, the site served as 10 acres of parking infrastructure for Rupp Arena. The Gatton Park Conservancy began early planning for a new destination park at the end of the Town Branch Commons Trail nearly a decade ago with a focus on the restoration and stabilization of Town Branch Creek, and construction was completed in 2025. The park features a playground, a dog park, an amphitheater, bike trails, a café, and a butterfly garden and plaza. The result is an inclusive community destination shaped directly by the people who use it.

Going Back to The Source
Combined with the input of over 16,000 community members, the designers were inspired by local culture, ecosystems, geology, and hydrology. This gave rise to a playground design that honors the local history of water-powered grist mills and karst formations. The design of the water play area mimics the flow of water between the cracks of local limestone that create small springs with its multi-level design. Durable natural materials, rugged time-tested stainless steel, and thoughtfully placed channels create opportunities for sensory engagement and collaborative problem-solving. Using Goric's stainless steel water gates and wheels, basins, troughs, and hand pumps, kids test cause-and-effect, observe flow patterns, and adapt strategies to guide water through the site. This water play area and the signature grist mill tower in the adjacent Adventure Park were situated close together to represent both the human manipulation and natural flow of water in the area's history.

 
Navigating Rough Waters
The desire for a dynamic play experience with multiple play levels resulted in an 8-foot grade drop that presented a few challenges. Getting the outflows of this custom, recirculating water play system to connect to the underground water storage tanks and the pump room and then back to the water feature was not easy. "We had to navigate major constraints on each element's elevation and location, given the proximity to the 1% floodplain and the overall layout of the park," said Kira Sargent, lead Landscape Architect from Sasaki. "It required very careful coordination between experts in several disciplines; civil engineers, landscape architects, architects, fountain MEP engineers, and Goric."

Another challenge involved the stonework. The design intention was to have something that looked natural, but the challenge was achieving the look while meeting the tight tolerances needed for ADA climber routes and extending equipment like Goric's Archimedes screw across multiple levels. "To get equipment to connect and span multiple levels, the stone had to be precise, so maintaining the hand-carved look took a few mock-ups and shop drawings," shared Sargent.

Inclusivity At All Levels
All aspects of an inclusive space surrounding the 14,000-square-foot water play area were taken into consideration. Abundant Playscapes was consulted to make sure the playground met safety standards and had opportunities for people of all abilities. From the ADA climber routes, to built-in seating to locating restrooms directly beside the water play area, all visitors were taken into account when creating this playscape.

Ecological Support
Plant selection was also a part of the inclusive design of the space. A sensory garden behind the water play area features a variety of smells and colors that attract both children and insects. Allium, Thyme, Creeping Phlox (Phlos stolonifera), Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina) Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica), and Allegheny Spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) attract butterflies, in particular, supporting the local ecology. The plant palette surrounding Adventure Park - designed by local landscape architect firm Carman - is a mix of local native or adapted perennials and shrubs with a heavy use of tall grass. The lack of planters or planted beds for low maintenance. The plant selection includes large canopy trees such as Oak, American Elm (Ulmus americana), Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Silverwood American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis 'Grenickel'), and Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica). "We paid very close attention to planting trees in areas where they will cast shade in the future," Sargent added.

The landscaping effort extended to the bank of Town Branch creek, which borders the whole southern edge of the playground. As creek restoration was a major focus of the overall project, invasive species were removed and native riparian plantings were introduced along the stream bank to establish a stable and healthy riparian buffer. Keeping the vision of the project in mind, it was important to have visual connections to the creek from the play area, but with safety in mind, there also had to be a physical barrier. The solution was a 330-inch, thin, black welded wire mesh fence along the creek's edge. Designed with thin, vertical black posts and no bottom or top rail, the fence provides protection while seamlessly blending into the landscape.

Purposeful Play
Goric and Sasaki's water play installation supports ecological goals by reconnecting visitors with the town's original water source and demonstrating sustainable water management techniques on a small scale. Landscape architecture and play design are blended to create an inviting, educational, and inclusive space that fosters curiosity about water, Lexington's history, and the environment. This installation is a practical yet symbolic part of a project that has transformed what was once a sea of asphalt into a living breathing hub of this vibrant bluegrass community. It is a playscape with purpose!

As seen in LASN magazine, September 2026.