Updates & Pics of Lily Pad Springs Splash Pad in West Bloomfield, the Rochester Hills Splash Pad, Normandy Oaks Park in Royal Oak, the NEW Splash Pad at Red Oaks Waterpark, The Hawk in Farmington Hills, and the NEW 3-acre playground at Innovation Hills in Rochester Hills! Exciting debuts in 2021 all around Oakland County set for this summer.
WEEKEND FAMILY FUN EVENTS
FREE SUMMER FUN FOR KIDS
FREE SUMMER CONCERTS
FREE SUMMER MOVIES
OAKLAND COUNTY WATERPARKS – SPRAYPARKS – SPLASHPADS
Normandy Oaks Park & Splash Pad
NOW OPEN
Normandy Oaks (1600 North Campbell Road Royal Oak, MI 48067)
Thanks to the November 2020 parks millage, Oakland County Parks is set to invest more than 1 million dollars to the 40-acre Normandy Oaks Park site. Operated by the City of Royal Oak, construction of Normandy Oaks has been significantly hampered in 2019 due to heavy rains and in 2020 due to covid. When it opens this summer, Normandy Park is set to include a splash pad, large playground, pavilion, sledding hill, trails, nature area, turf soccer fields, and more.
REVIEW AND PICS OF NORMANDY OAKS
Normandy Oaks Royal Oak Pics
Lily Pad Springs Splash Pad
NOW OPEN
Lily Pad Springs (6200 Farmington Rd, West Bloomfield, MI, 48322)
West Bloomfield Parks began plans for renovation of its aging West Bloomfield Family Aquatic Center in 2017. The splash pad, Lily Pad Springs, features 4 water slides, a giant splash bucket, and more than 50 play features. The water used at Lily Pad Springs is treated. You can purchase “session times”, 2-hour blocks from 11a-6p, daily through the summer. Sessions will be available to purchase for both residents & non-residents beginning May 1.
Pics – Courtesy of wbparks.org
REVIEW AND PICS OF LILY PAD SPRINGS
Lily Pad Springs Splash Pad Pics
Rochester Hills Splash Pad at Emmons Plaza
NOW OPEN
Rochester Hills Splash Pad (Emmons Rd & Auburn Rd, Rochester Hills, MI 48307)
The RH Splash Pad is part of the Auburn Road Project, the 6-mile corridor of Auburn Rd through the City of Rochester Hills. Covid delayed the splash pad opening but they finished it up in late Fall and Mayor Bryan Barnett had a soft launch opening on October 23, 2020. It’s not the biggest splash pad in the county, but it’s modern and nice (and FREE). There is a ribbon-cutting tentatively scheduled for June 9 (last day of school) but I’m told it may open a little earlier.
REVIEW AND PICS OF THE ROCHESTER HILLS SPLASH PAD
Rochester Hills Splash Pad Pics
The Hawk
NOW OPEN
The Hawk (29995 W 12 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, MI)
The City of Farmington Hills took over the old Farmington Hills Harrison High School site location and created a state of the art community center – The Hawk. The Hawk will feature a fitness center, party rental rooms to rent, E-sports facilities (and leagues), an IMPRESSIVE aquatics center, outdoor fields & courts, and more. Highlights of The indoor Hawk Aquatics Center include: zero-depth entry pool, lap swim, a lazy river, waterslide, zipline & climbing wall, swim lessons, birthday parties, and more. The Hawk will be a focal point of The Farmington Hills Special Services Department for summer camps, youth sports, senior programming, and more.
REVIEW AND PICS OF THE HAWK FARMINGTON HILLS COMMUNITY CENTER
Farmington Hills The Hawk Pics (and artist renderings)
New Splash Pad at Red Oaks Waterpark
NOW OPEN
Red Oaks Waterpark (1455 E 13 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI, www.OaklandCountyParks.com)
The new children’s Splash Pad has 52 interactive water activities, including a water play climber with slides and a dumping bucket. The zero-depth attraction offers 160 ’x 105’ of play area with a new adjacent shade structure.
REVIEW AND PICS OF RED OAKS WATERPARK
Innovation Hills Playground Rochester Hills
NOW OPEN
Innovation Hills (2800 W Hamlin Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48307, 248-656-4673, rochesterhills.org)
The 3-acre inclusive playground is now open with new facets to be completed and featured in the near future…. but you can (and should) check it out now. We’ve reviewed a lot of parks, Innovation Hills definitely sticks out… not just as a convenient area park to visit, but a park that’s a destination. Other area nature parks are simply vast, underdeveloped land areas. Innovation Hills was designed with inclusivity in mind – to bring the nature to everyone, regardless of age and physical ability.
INNOVATION HILLS ROCHESTER HILLS REVIEW / PICS
Maple Beach Playground at Kensington Metropark
NOW OPEN
Maple Beach at Kensington Metropark (4570 Huron River Parkway, Milford, MI 48380, 810-227-8910, www.metroparks.com)
“The playground will have solid, rubber safety surfacing, sensory-friendly equipment, transfer-stations onto the playscape, spaces for quiet independent play, dignity landings on slides and more. The space’s layout and design concept have been reviewed and evaluated by multiple organizations through the Fun, Accessible, Inclusive Recreation (FAIR) Play Coalition, ensuring this project is accessible, and inclusive to all ages and abilities. The FAIR Play Coalition is an advisory group for this project comprised of organizations and individuals that have expertise in working with those with disabilities or who have disabilities themselves.”
Pic – Courtesy of metroparks.com
KENSINGTON METROPARK REVIEW / PICS / INFO
Maple Beach Playground at Kensington Metropark Pics (Artist Renderings)
See our Oakland County Parks Tab for more Oakland County and Metro Detroit, Michigan park reviews and pics.
