South Bend adds $2 fee for kids ages 0-2 at Kennedy Park water playground
SOUTH BEND — The city will begin charging an entry fee for children up to 2 years old at its only public water playground in Kennedy Park.
Children ages 0-2 previously swam free at the Kennedy water playground, a pool on the city's northwest side that's up to 18 inches deep and tailored for young children. But South Bend's Board of Park Commissioners on Monday passed a proposal to charge kids in that age group $2 for a day pass.
"That area is geared towards toddlers, and so ... we need to look at a cost associated with that," said Macey Hanna, director of recreational experience for South Bend Venues, Parks and Arts.
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In another change this year, the water playground will be open for only six hours a day, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last year, it was open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
A city spokeswoman said VPA reviewed attendance reports and determined the new hours made sense. The price adjustment "allows for continued access while also covering operational costs to enhance the experience for all visitors."
The Kennedy water playground will open for the three-day Memorial Day weekend May 25-27 before opening daily from June 1 to Aug. 4. Children ages 3-10 will still be charged $4 for a day pass while children 11 or older pay $5. The city also offers an individual season pass for $60 a person and a family pass for $120.
Kennedy's water playground had nearly 8,900 visitors last year after attracting about 7,800 guests in 2022, Hanna told the parks board at a Monday meeting. The large volume of swimmers requires the city to hire four or five lifeguards to monitor them, Hanna said.
The Tribune recently reported that the city will spend $15 million to fund improvements at Kennedy Park, with half paid for by a federal program that supports lower-income communities where residents lack access to outdoor recreation. By 2026, the city plans to build a larger pool with swimming lanes and separate recreational areas in the water for kids and adults.
Jordan Gathers, interim director of South Bend Venues, Parks and Arts, told The Tribune on Monday that he expects the new renovations to bring even larger crowds to the park.
"We are getting a lot of folks who are not a part of that area," Gathers said, "so we definitely want to be intentional about that as well."
The area's residents are 62% Black, and two of five households earn less than $25,000 a year, according to data in the recently passed Kennedy Park Neighborhood Plan. South Bend's median household income is twice that amount. Along with LaSalle Park, which lies just to its south, Kennedy Park is one of the city's poorest neighborhoods.
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Where to enjoy the water in South Bend
At the intersection of Olive and Westmoor Streets, Kennedy Park's water playground opens Memorial Day weekend, May 25-27. Its regular season runs from June 1 to Aug. 4. Its extended season, when it's open only on weekends, will last from Aug. 10 to Sept. 2.
For swimmers, the city hosts an indoor public swim for $3 a person at Clay High School on Mondays from 7-9 p.m. until May 20. VPA is looking to expand the program to include additional days at Adams High School this summer.
Although the Potawatomi Park swimming pool will be closed for a third straight summer, South Bend runs eight splash pads that are free and open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the summer.
Renovated splash pads will open at Southeast Park and Coquillard Park by May 1, Gathers said. Six other splash pads are at the following parks:
LaSalle Park
O'Brien Park
Pulaski Park
Potawatomi Park
Fremont Park
Howard Park
Email South Bend Tribune city reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend charges fee at Kennedy Park water playground
