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By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

CHELSEA – With the new school year starting this month, the city’s splash pad at Melrose Park will adjust its hours of operation.

Starting on Monday, Aug. 16, the splash pad will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Programs Director Jane Ann Mueller said many of the splash pad’s workers are students who will be going back to school, but several homeschool students will continue to work.

“We’re going to be open as much as we can,” Mueller said.

Mueller also shared numbers regarding how many people have visited the venue since it opened on July 20.

From July 20-31, 3,073 people came to the splash pad. The daily average was about 256 people, with the highest day at 333 and the lowest at 109.

“I think that’s fantastic,” Mueller said. “We have had to close a few times due to weather, but we were able to open back up most days.”

Daily admission is $2 per person (1 year old and older). Armbands are given each day and guarantee all-day access, allowing guests to come and go from the facility as long as they are able to produce the day’s armband upon re-entry.

People can rent pavilions at the splash pad for two-hour time slots by calling the community center at (205) 677-2052.

A community center membership is not required to visit the splash pad.

Other guidelines can be found at Cityofchelsea.com/526/Splash-Pad-at-Melrose-Park.

The splash pad project totaled about $1 million and is a part of the city’s new Melrose Park development, which also includes a multi-level playground.