Australia’s Gipps Street Precinct Celebrates Another Win with Waterplay®
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, December 8, 2025
Waterplay® is celebrating another major international win down under as the Gipps Street Recreation Precinct has been named Community Facility of the Year at the 2025 Parks and Leisure Australia National Awards of Excellence, marking another global achievement for the Kelowna-based aquatic play manufacturer.
The Waterplay-designed splash pad, now one of the precinct’s most popular attractions and a favourite destination for families across the region, played a key role in the project’s success.
This latest honour adds to the precinct’s growing list of accolades—including the Outdoor Sport and Leisure Facility Design Award and the Liveable Cities Award—and further highlights Waterplay’s role in shaping one of Australia’s most celebrated community spaces.
“The Waterplay area at the Gipps Street Recreational Precinct shows how thoughtful design can deliver both beauty and brilliant play,” says Chris Bowser, General Manager of Waterplay Australia. “Since opening in August 2024, this sustainable, community-centred splash pad delivered in partnership with Glascott Landscape and Civil and Parkequip has become a much-loved local landmark, and more importantly, is embraced by families every day.”
This national award recognizes facilities that deliver exceptional community impact, high-quality design, sustainability and excellence in project delivery. The Gipps Street Recreation Precinct demonstrates all these qualities. Developers transformed the 32-hectare former waste site into a vibrant recreational hub featuring sports fields, youth play areas, nature play zones and a Waterplay splash pad that anchors the children’s play space.
The multi-zone splash pad delivers a high-energy blend of interactive features designed for children of all ages and abilities. Waterplay Australia collaborated with Fiona Robbé Landscape Architect and worked alongside Parkequip Pty Ltd. and Glascott Landscape and Civil during installation to create a space that invites imaginative, social and sensory-rich play while meeting Australia’s standards for safety and durability.
With headquarters in Kelowna, BC, Waterplay has an office in Sydney, Australia. Waterplay supplied the complete suite of aquatic play features and delivered on-site technical guidance to streamline installation, ensuring the final space reflects Waterplay’s commitment to long-lasting, inclusive design.
ABOUT WATERPLAY:
Waterplay® is a global provider of premium aquatic play solutions. With over 38 years of industry experience, Waterplay creates aquatic environments that engage communities, activate public spaces, and promote inclusive play. Waterplay's commitment to innovation, quality, and sustainability ensures that every splash pad delivers exceptional value and lasting enjoyment. For more information, visit www.waterplay.com.
Contact:
Christine Ulmer, Director of Marketing
778-320-2293
marketing@makrgroup.com