Mobile water playground for cooling off
For five weeks in summer 2024, the temporary PlayFountain water playground on Luisenplatz provided cool water fun for 15,000 visitors of all ages and contributed to climate adaptation.
The 100 square meter mobile water playground "PlayFountain" with its over a thousand jets and water fountains up to four meters high provided fun, games and cool refreshment in sunny weather and hot temperatures on Luisenplatz from 26 July to 1 September 2024.
Due to the high demand and the persistently hot temperatures, the offer from the state capital of Wiesbaden was extended by one week beyond the end of the summer vacations.
Vacation attraction and climate adaptation measure
"The 'PlayFountain' water playground has clearly shown how we can use innovative ideas to tackle climate change in the city and at the same time offer a real vacation attraction," says Mayor Christiane Hinninger, who is also responsible for the environment and the economy, on the success of the city center attraction. "We are revitalizing Wiesbaden's city centre and increasing the quality of stay. At the same time, measures such as the water playground provide cooling, which is becoming increasingly important in times of climate change and hotter summers".
Expectations far exceeded - continuation planned
The water playground managed by Sporthilfe Wiesbaden was not only very popular with families with children, but also with kindergartens and daycare centers, which made intensive use of the summer offerings. Many families visited the water playground several times, some even came by almost every day.
"The positive response to the water playground has far exceeded our expectations and shows us how valuable such interactive attractions are for our city, especially during the vacation season and in the hot summer weeks," emphasizes City Manager Jens Ackermann.
A week-long survey with 100 participants showed that visitors young and old really liked the PlayFountain water playground, that they often used it several times and that they would like to see it continue in 2025. Mayor Hinninger can also well imagine a repeat on Luisenplatz or elsewhere in Wiesbaden due to its success.