Splash plaza
Definition
A downtown or civic-center splash pad integrated into a public plaza — programmable as a fountain by day and active spray pad on hot afternoons — that doubles as a placemaking and economic-development feature.
Splash plazas blur the line between a decorative urban fountain and a kids' splash pad. They sit in front of a city hall, museum, or downtown park, run in 'fountain mode' during morning rush, and switch to active spray during posted afternoon hours.
They are popular in revitalized downtowns (Greenville SC, Chattanooga TN, Oklahoma City) because they attract foot traffic to surrounding restaurants without the operating cost of a full water park. Most splash plazas are programmed via a city smart-water system that responds to ambient temperature and time of day.