2023 Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest Inclusive Design Winner: Morgan's Inspiration Island

In 2023, we hosted our fourth annual Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest to award two deserving organizations in the United States an all-expenses-paid splash pad surface. One award was for a facility that exemplified inclusive design principles, and the other was need-based for a deserving community that met specific benchmark criteria.

We received some incredible applications and out of many impactful entries, one rose to the front. Today, we’re proud to showcase the Inclusive Design Award winner’s installation: Morgan’s Wonderland for Will’s Hang 10 Harbor located at Morgan’s Inspiration Island in San Antonio, Texas.

What stood out most to our team was the thoughtful and holistic approach to inclusivity. Their Ultra-Accessible™ waterpark considers all abilities so that entire families can play and be together for the whole experience from start to finish.

“Morgan’s Wonderland is a magical place for those with special needs and disabilities and those without to come together in environments that promote Ultra-Accessibility™ and inclusion. It became the world’s first Ultra-Accessible™, fully-inclusive theme park in 2010. Our entirely wheelchair-accessible park features more than 25 elements, including rides, playgrounds, and other attractions. Among the most popular are our colorful carousel, the Whirling Wonder Ferris Wheel, the Sensory Village of storefronts encouraging imaginative play, the Wonderland Express train that travels for almost a mile around our 8-acres, catch-and-release fishing lake, and playscapes with multiple types of swings, including out exceedingly popular wheelchair swings. While we recognize the exceptional qualities of these one-of-a-kind features, it is the outcome of priceless memories and a feeling of belonging that we are most proud of. Families of individuals with special needs interviewed during the creation of Morgan’s Wonderland Park shared that not only would a park be fun and exciting, but most importantly, they wanted a space to enjoy TOGETHER.

The tremendous success of nonprofit Morgan’s Wonderland led to the addition of Ultra-Accessible™ Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park in 2017. Morgan’s Inspiration Island at Morgan’s Wonderland is the one and only Ultra-Accessible™ Splash Park located in San Antonio, Texas. In keeping with Morgan’s Wonderland’s mission of inclusion and the desire to enable everyone to play, Morgan’s Inspiration Island is like a tropical paradise with five colorful splash pads, a River Boat Adventure Ride, and revolutionary waterproof wheelchairs. Morgan’s Wonderland and Morgan’s Inspiration Island Splash Park has welcomed over 2 million guests form 122 countries. Today, Morgan’s Inspiration Island splash park continues to welcome the most guests compared to the rest of the season.””

— Brooke Kearney, Special Project Officer, Morgan's Wonderland

When asked what winning this grant would mean to their facility, Brooke Kearney who serves as the Special Project Officer at Morgan’s Wonderland said,

“Winning this grant would maintain our mission to provide a fun, clean, and beautiful environment free of physical and economic barriers that all individuals can come to an enjoy regardless of age or ability. Unfortunately, countless children and adults with special needs do not have access to facilities that enable them to enjoy outdoor recreation fully. Nonprofit Morgan’s Wonderland is changing that everyday. Since its inception in 2010, anyone with a special need has been admitted free of charge, no questions asked. Hence, the majority of funding support received from the community underwrites the cost to admit our target population of individuals with special needs and disabilities for free, leaving limited funding to support major capital improvement projects. By winning this grant, Life Floor will contribute to impacting over 100,000 individuals annually through inclusive and Ultra-Accessible™ play.”

— Brooke Kearney, Special Project Officer, Morgan's Wonderland

Our 2023 entrants chose from 6 pre-designed themes that would be tailored to fit their project scope, but we were so moved by this story that we decided to do something more. Our Design Studio created a themed beach motif with a custom Murals element, life-sized custom surfboard Inlays, and other standard Inlays from our Marine set to complement the narrative at the splash pad.

Designed and Copyrighted by Life Floor Studio.

Before: Pour-in-Place Bonded Rubber

After: Life Floor

We can’t wait to hear the stories of how this project will continue to uplift the ways people with all abilities play at Will’s Hang 10 Harbor in San Antonio, Texas. Thank you to Morgan’s Wonderland for entering our contest and for trusting us to surface your Ultra-Accessible™ splash pad!

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About the Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest

The Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest is one of our team’s favorite annual events. We love giving back to our communities across the United States and seeing the difference our surfaces make. Through this grant contest, our goal is to uplift communities across the country each year with beautiful and accessible splash pad surfaces that enhance positive memories for years to come.

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THE 5TH ANNUAL MAKE A SPLASH! GRANT CONTEST IS
OPEN FOR ENTRIES

Don’t miss these two opportunities to win free Life Floor surfacing for your splash pad!

V3 Sports Center: Elevating North Minneapolis Aquatics

V3 Sports Center serves North Minneapolis, MN and has a mission to “elevate our community through wellness, fitness, and education.” North Minneapolis is a historically underinvested community. According to V3’s research, “In 2019, 54% of the population was Non-White and 20% of the population under the age of 18. In the immediate area of The V3 Center, young adults under 18 make up roughly 40% of the population.” The V3 Sports Center was built in a prominent location and can be seen from downtown Minneapolis and Interstate 94. It has bus line service to further increase accessibility of the facility for the neighborhood.

A generational lack of swimming skills can become a cyclical problem and the first step towards ending those cycles is to provide access. This facility chose to go beyond a simple space by creating a true community hub. With nearly 12,000 kids within walking distance, they implemented thoughtful resources and spaces to engage, transform, and elevate the lives of kids in North Minneapolis. Programs include the John W Hardeman III Boys and Girls Club, summer camps, swimming lessons, childcare, and more. Their aquatics department offers several programs: Swim 2 Learn, Swim 2 Earn, Pool Play, and Open Pool.

All windows looking into the pool area can be fully closed with blinds to allow for greater privacy. This serves populations such as Muslim women who need modesty accommodations to swim. V3 Sports Center provides specific times for Muslim women and others who need privacy to freely enjoy the pool amenities.

“I will say my favorite story is, since we opened June 22, when I was driving down Plymouth Avenue, and I saw the kids from the Northside Development Center, which is two blocks away from here during their summer camp, walking down to the V3 Center to do lessons. And this particular day, it was their celebration of finishing their six weeks of lessons. We celebrate them at the end of the six weeks. And with that being said, it was just such a good example of why we’re here. Being able to have a space and place in the community where the kids of Northside Development Center can walk here, get quality lessons in a world-class facility, celebrate, and be excited about what they’ve accomplished, all within their neighborhood. I think that was just a beautiful collaboration between our two organizations, which Northside Development Center is a part of Catholic Charities. Early on around aquatics, it’s all about the accessibility, the proximity, and the community collaborations that are happening to benefit people like Northside families.
”

— Malik Rucker, V3 Sports Executive Director

Beyond the incredible activity programming, V3 Sports creates meaningful employment opportunities for residents. “While there are countless non-profit organizations working to create economic stability, job opportunities, education equality and neighborhood revitalization, the unemployment rate in North Minneapolis is twice the rate of the rest of the city, and even worse for Black men. While the poverty rate is 15% for the White community in North Minneapolis, it is 42% for the Black community.”

In an interview with us in August 2024, Malik Rucker, Executive Director, commented, “We're up to about 70 jobs. Just last year, we only had about 8. So, we went from 8 to 70 in a year, which is affecting families. It's providing careers right here in the neighborhood, and those are some of the things that I'm super excited about, and we're only in the first few months.”

“The Life Floor gives life to the pool and to the space. A lot of times when you see tile, it’s not as exciting, but having this with the pops of color has allowed us to not have to do as much on the walls. We let the floor lead the way and it’s a beautiful space. I haven’t seen anybody fall or slip, and we know people are going to run. The investment is worth it just by reducing the slips and when people do slip, they’re not hitting the ground as hard. It’s aesthetically pleasing, it definitely lightens up the space, and it works well with the natural light that’s coming in at the corner of Plymouth and Lyndale. The most input I get is just how beautiful it is. People notice it. They touch the ground and try to see how soft it is and if they’re gonna slip. It’s a beautiful addition. ”

— Malik Rucker, V3 Sports Executive Director

“I’m just excited to continue to see families come together. It’s a family space. It’s a destination. There aren’t many spaces in North Minneapolis that the entire family can go to.”

— Malik Rucker, V3 Sports Executive Director

The facility’s architect is LSE Architecture, a Black-owned architecture firm. For their work on this project, they were awarded alongside V3 Sports Center with the AIA Minnesota Merit Award and the Michael L. Schrock Award. Building was completed by RJM Construction.

On a granular level, this fitness center is a great example of a phased project approach. V3 Sports Center completed $26M phase 1 in 2024, prioritizing amenities that would best serve the community. Two selections included a 6 lane 25-meter pool and hydrotherapy pool with Life Floor surfaces. This center now has the first indoor lap pool serving North Minneapolis with multifunctional use for swimming lessons, exercise, and summer camps. Phase 2 will cost approximately $100M and will include an Olympic size 50-meter pool, STEAM programming, and a technology center.

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We’re proud to be part of this incredible fitness center located just 4 miles from our U.S. Headquarters. A sincere thank you to the team at V3 Sports for bringing the V3 Sports Center to life and investing in our community. We look forward to your continued success elevating and transforming the lives of thousands.

Engaging Zero-Depth Entry Pool at Camp Margaritaville

Camp Margaritaville in Breaux Bridge, LA features nearly 4,000 sq ft (370 sq m) of Life Floor at the zero-depth entry pool in an elegant triangle gradient pattern.

VISUAL SIGNALS FOR INCLUSIVE AQUATICS

When state codes allow submerged applications to feature colors on the pool bottoms, zero-depth entries can incorporate visual signals for accessibility that show the depth of water is increasing.

At this location, sandy colors symbolize the beach and water tones gradually darken as the depth increases. This design choice is aesthetically pleasing while helping guests navigate the space more confidently.

HIDDEN DRAINS

A Life Floor DalLUX Drainage System by Daldorado is located at the amenity’s entry point to provide both design continuity and added safety. This type of drain positioned within a design has channels that run along the surface with strips of Life Floor adhered to them. Drainage isn’t impeded and tiles can incorporate custom elements even over the drains themselves.

Life Floor’s heat dispersion is especially useful in the Louisiana climate where temperatures reach over 90°F (32°C). Destinations with high UV Indexes often find that metal drain grates can cause burns due to heating up when not submerged. Our product integration partnership with Daldorado ensures that guests are better protected in comparison to traditional metal drains.

The photo below shows the drainage system exposed prior to Life Floor installation.

Playful FEATURES

The aquatic play structure and pool floor boast InterActive Play features that promote social engagement. From friendly water battles to collaborative play opportunities that produce thrilling water effects, interactive elements create opportunities for connection and shared experiences. Engineered with beloved kid-friendly technology, such as light-up bars indicating a feature’s “charging status,” buttons, pull ropes, touch sensors, and more, these features captivate guests longer than conventional open water flow designs.

curating THEMATIC FUN

Beach-inspired designs with bright, tropical elements are becoming increasingly popular in the aquatics industry. Many vacation-goers directly associate beaches and ocean vistas with relaxation, but importing sand isn’t sustainable and presents a challenge for filtration systems.

By using Life Floor to intone colors and gradients on the surface, venues can spark imaginations and create a space that reflects a relaxing day at the beach.

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To learn how you can elevate the look and feel of your facility’s zero-depth entry amenity, begin a conversation with one of our account executives today. We can help you navigate your state’s code requirements for aquatic surfacing and support you in enhancing the safety, design, and accessibility at your facility.

How Does Life Floor withstand Extreme Climates?

With over 2,500 installations worldwide, Life Floor is trusted by leading brands and is the recommended surface for WhiteWater, Waterplay, and Rain Drop Products among others. From the bitter cold of Minnesota to the sweltering heat of Dubai, Life Floor tiles are engineered to perform in a vast range of climates.

COLD CLIMATES

Life Floor is designed to flex with the freeze and thaw cycles of seasons. The top of Life Floor tiles may expand and contract with high and low temperatures. In winter months, contraction creates wider joints. In the summer months during operation, expansion creates tighter joints.

Rapid temperature changes and/or wide swings have negligible impact on tile performance after installation. Our approved contact cement adhesives keep the bases of the tiles firmly secured to the underlayment or substrate.

Cedarcrest Splash Pad - Bloomington, MN, USA

Since June 2017, the Life Floor installation at Cedarcrest Splash Pad has experienced multiple freeze-thaw cycles. This public, outdoor splash pad is exposed to ice, snow, and hail throughout the long winter season. To date, Life Floor tiles remain adhered, the surface can be easily cleaned, colors appear vibrant, and our slip-resistant texture is just as effective as the first summer season.

While there are many beautiful splash pads across the Twin Cities, the Cedarcrest Park Splash Pad is unique in that the splash pad is unfenced. Bikes ride over it, shoes run across it, and trees line the outer perimeter with a dry playground nearby. This means that the splash pad is covered with leaves, sticks, dirt, sand, gravel, and wood chips on a regular basis. Given the environment, the modularity of Life Floor has allowed for any damaged tiles to be easily replaced without sacrificing the aesthetic of the splash pad.

Wilderness Resort - Wisconsin Dells, WI, USA

Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells installed one of the very first custom outdoor Life Floor installations. The intricate, larger-than-life inlays of bear paw prints are a testament to our tile's ability to flex with the harsh freeze/thaw cycles of Wisconsin winters.

Since installation in May 2013, Wilderness Resort has reopened the splash pad each season with minimal maintenance. The tiles are easily cleaned and vibrant. Some delamination may occur with installations of this type, which maintenance staff can easily address by following our Replacement Guide in the Owner's Manual.

To prevent delamination from occurring, we recommend using a Certified Installer. Our installation partners typically recommend installing Life Floor in cooler weather (between 60-70 degrees F) which results in tighter joints during the summer seasons.

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HOT CLIMATES

UV exposure is a primary concern for hot climates in regions such as the Middle East.

As part of Life Floor’s NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 Certification, our products have been tested under extreme UV exposure. This is defined by the World Health Organization UV Index as more than 90 days (2,160 hours) of daytime exposure in the 10+ UV Index category within a 365-day period. During testing, erosion is not acceptable if it compromises the surface's traction, cushioning, or color clarity.

Atlantis the Palm - Dubai, UAE

Life Floor's UV resistance exceeds the NSF/ANSI/CAN 50 criteria, which is why internationally renowned brands such as Atlantis the Palm, Dubai choose our products for outdoor aquatic spaces. This iconic triangle gradient paired with Waterplay spray fixtures combines durability with design at Splasher’s Kids Play Area. Together they have created lasting memories for guests of all ages and abilities since it was installed in 2018.

The Atlantis resort brand is internationally known for spectacular thrills, unique attractions, and high-quality entertainment with guest satisfaction in mind. We partnered with Raymond Sport, LLC. to create the iconic surface design for this luxury destination that contributes enhanced safety paired with beautiful aesthetics.

The Beach Jumeirah - Dubai, UAE

The Beach splash pad delights as an amenity to individuals in the Jumeirah Beach Residence area. Life Floor was installed in 2018 and has provided a comfortable and slip-resistant surface for families looking to cool off in the hot climate of Dubai. Unlike concrete, our foam-rubber tiles serve as a good solution for facilities in search of a product that dissipates heat quickly since it will not burn skin and stays comfortable underfoot in intense sun and heat.

In high UV climate areas, facilities often opt for shade structures to protect the longevity of both spray fixtures and the Life Floor. It should be noted that shade is not a requirement since our surfaces have been tested to last at least 5 years in high UV climates with low to moderate traffic.

With constant pedestrian traffic from nearby shops and coffee houses, the splash pad continues to be a focal attraction for cooling off and enjoying mid-day splashes.

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To learn more about how Life Floor can help solve your surfacing challenges, especially in extreme climates, we’d love to set up a tailored meeting for you with one of our product experts.

FISCHER BROTHERS, LLC. PARTNERS WITH LIFE FLOOR AND WATERPLAY AT RAPID RIVER LODGE

Located near the picturesque Brainerd Lakes area, Rapid River Lodge is an ideal destination for exploring over 400 lakes, biking trails, and our favorite: a newly renovated waterpark! The lodge is making a positive impression with the upgrade of spray features from Waterplay and a beautiful Life Floor surface installed by Fischer Brothers, LLC.

BEFORE

AFTER

The refresh brightened the space with lighter colors, vibrant features, and improved safety facility-wide. The installation expertise of Fischer Brothers led to a smooth renovation with a high level of customer service, producing a final attraction sure to impress visitors.

INCLUSIVE DESIGN + SAFETY = MORE PLAY VALUE 

One of the most important goals of the partnership between Waterplay and Life Floor is to bring even more free play and accessibility to aquatic spaces. Rapid River Lodge prioritized inclusive design in every spray feature and surfacing decision, using play zones to accommodate a wide variety of play styles and the needs of different waterplayers.

With a wide range of play opportunities, from the calmer zero depth entry area with pint-sized character sprays perfect for smaller kids, to the more adventurous activity tower with elevated platforms, water cannons, and slides, this play space invites all to have fun within their ability level and comfort zone. Along with the guidance of Fischer Brothers’ restoration expertise, the waterpark at Rapid River Lodge is beautifully reimagined.

River Rapid Lodge is the first facility to debut Fischer Brothers’ new Double Lane Toddler Slide. With its modern, two-lane structure, the Double Lane Toddler Slide was designed to produce double the fun. Thoughtfully engineered materials and the intentional inclusion of Life Floor's cushioned Landing Pads make these slides beautiful, fun, and safer for the littlest water park goer. 

Life Floor safety surfacing covers every walkable surface in the waterpark. Bands of Pomegranate-colored tile offer contrasting visual cues that signal guests to exercise caution around each body of water. Visual signals are an important safety feature to show depth changes, the presence of features, and represent a changing landscape when paired with zoning for different stages of childhood development.

Thank you to Fischer Brothers and Waterplay for a collaboration filled with fun! Our team loves working on projects that focus on retrofitting facilities with inclusivity, safety, and play in mind. 

To learn more about revitalizing your attractions with inclusive design and safety, we’d love to begin a conversation with you! 

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We’re thrilled to announce that Fischer Brothers, LLC has officially joined Life Floor’s Installation Network as our newest Certified Installation Partner.

Andrew Fischer accepting Life Floor’s Certified Installation Certificate on behalf of Fischer Brothers LLC

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Waterplay by MAKR

Waterplay creates playful, inventive, and inclusive splash pad equipment for people from all walks of life, of all ages, and with diverse abilities. Everyone should have access to amazing, inviting, playable, enjoyable and ‘go-backable’ aquatic recreation places. With thousands of installations, millions of happy waterplayers splashing around on six continents, Waterplay is here to support you from concept, to installation, maintenance, future planning, and revitalizations. Splash pads for the win!  

Learn more about Waterplay

Fischer Brothers, LLC

Fischer Brothers, LLC got their start in 2007 restoring waterslides, and eventually moved on to other parts of the waterpark. From waterslide towers, aquatic play structures, spray features and more, Fischer Brothers has led the charge in pioneering innovative solutions for the aquatics restoration industry.

Learn more about Fischer Brothers, LLC

Life Floor

Life Floor was founded upon a vision to create safer, more memorable experiences at aquatic facilities. Since 2011, our mission has expanded to include innovative design, increased play value, and inclusivity wherever our surfacing is installed.

Across all of our unique projects, one thing remains the same: improving aquatic environments for all people will always be at the heart of our purpose.

National Water Safety Month: Improving Accessibility at the Surface Level

Thanks for coming back to week three of our National Water Safety Month series on issues and topics prominent in the aquatics industry! In case you missed it, be sure to check out our previous post about how important it is to reduce slip and fall injuries within aquatic environments. This week our focus is on how accessibility enables a greater and safer way to play. 

Creating accessibility in built environments levels the playing field, enabling everyone to interact and explore on their own terms. Today, communities increasingly strive to create inclusive recreation areas that are inviting to guests of all ages and abilities. These facilities attract and encourage a safer and more accessible play experience by using a variety of features and paying attention to certain design elements like spacing, color, size, and flow. This emphasis to provide interactive, social, and active play opportunities for all should also be applied to aquatic facilities, whenever possible. When accessibility is inherent in a facility’s design, even more guests are able to perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with features, leading to a more robust play experience. 

With our slip-resistant and cushioned tiles, Life Floor offers an approach to surfacing that enhances aquatic facilities and splash pads by making them safer and more enjoyable to a larger range of guests. Beyond providing a safety surfacing solution, our tiles can also wrap around coping edges and steps to further improve traction for guests that require more stable footing, thereby reducing risk of injury in these areas. Other surfaces commonly found in aquatic environments, such as concrete or ceramic tile, can lead to a less safe or more inaccessible experience due to lack of traction, cushioning, and/or comfort. Enhancing safety at the surface level makes aquatic facilities more accessible to people of all ages and physical abilities, especially those who may be more prone to injury. As a result, very young children can begin to explore water play, the senior population can engage more safely in activities at their community pools, and guests of all abilities are invited to enjoy splash pads and other aquatic features. 

While use of a product like Life Floor can enhance safety and accessibility, other design methods can be used at the surface level to further accommodate a wide range of guests. These techniques can involve visual, textural, and mobility considerations. 

Use of color at the ground level within aquatic facilities can provide visual cues to a wider range of patrons. For instance, contrasting colors can help the visually impaired differentiate between different depth or surface changes. These visual color cues can supplement traditional depth markers, which do not take into account those who have limited vision or reading abilities. A contrasting colored band of coping around a pool can help to define where the deck ends and the water begins. Likewise, use of contrasting colors at the edges of steps can signal elevation changes, especially when visually obscured by water. Use of more subtle patterns with less contrast across pool decks can help to avoid confusion for patrons that may have challenges with depth perception. Keeping these techniques in mind can create an environment that inspires confidence for a greater range of guests.  

Contrasting color bands at step edges help define elevation changes underwater.

A band of contrasting color and texture indicates where the pool deck ends and the water begins.

A contrast in textures can also provide a way of differentiating between zones and features. Much in the way that tactile paving bumps signal transitions for the visually impaired, such as where the sidewalk meets the street, a similar technique can indicate changes within aquatic environments. Varying textures in this way enables people with sensory preferences or low vision to feel distinct differences when entering new areas of a facility. This equips individuals with an understanding of where they are located as well as possible features in their surroundings. At the moment, Life Floor is offered in two distinct textures that have achieved this approach at facilities where it’s been requested along pool edges. Providing these tactile methods of communication has the ability to increase safety and awareness for guests within aquatic facilities. 

Sloped transitions make an elevated pool deck surface accessible to all guests.

Ensuring that these spaces accommodate visitors with mobility challenges further increases accessibility. While pool lifts are commonly used, other design features can enhance the ways that guests are able to interact with aquatic environments. For people who ride wheelchairs, installation of ramps, sloped entrances leading into pools, or transition strips at the edges of raised decks or splash pads can enable access to features that may have otherwise been difficult to enjoy. Surfacing materials that provide traction and a more stable experience for these guests will also enhance their ability to confidently navigate these environments. Attention to spacing of features on splash pads can also improve access to more guests, especially those who ride wheelchairs. Designing with attention to mobility in mind ensures that aquatic recreation may be frequented by a greater diversity of patrons, creating a better experience overall.     

We’re happy that Life Floor is able to enhance safety and accessibility at facilities in many of these ways as we love watching people of all ages and abilities come together to enjoy aquatic spaces. Equal opportunity to experience play and joy has always been important to our team and we look forward to continuing to equip facilities with a solution that creates beautiful, safer, and more accessible environments for all. 

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Interested in learning more about accessible design within aquatic environments? Explore our related blog posts here: 

Putting Humane Design Into Perspective 
2018 Trends: Accessibility