Neighbors celebrate opening of new Fresno splash park

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Dozens of children celebrated alongside Fresno city leaders Saturday morning for the opening of a new splash park.

Geysers are growing and buckets are dumping and the kids of Fresno are running around with smiles on their faces at Vinland Park.

"When you look up and you see the look on everyone's face, you see it's well worth it," Fresno City Manager Bruce Rudd said.

Fresno city leaders cut the ribbon on the sixth splash park just in time on a day with a heat advisory and temperatures already in the 90s by the time the water started flowing at 10 a.m.

Parents say they've waited for this upgrade here for decades and they finally got it.

"This new splash pad," council member Paul Caprioglio said. "It's been a long time coming, and today is that special day."

Caprioglio got a lot of the credit for pushing the city to make the investment and he joined the kids in getting soaked on day one.

A few Fresno police officers got into the action too, soaking their dark, hot uniforms with the cool splashes. Their presence highlights the dual purpose of opening a splash park in this particular area.

"It's gonna keep kids cool, safe and supervised areas and it's another amenity in an underserved area," Fresno Mayor Lee Brand said.

But for the kids, the fun is number one and they're finding it here.