Some parents in Smiths Falls are voicing their frustration over a new splash pad that was built next to a sandpit.
Parents are upset about some of the unusual rules about when and where kids can splash because of the proximity to the sandpit.
The town built the splash pad directly beside a children's play structure with sand.
But a lot of that sand is going down the splash pad drain and backing up the system.
"There are concerns from the waste water plant because all that sand going in is not very good for it," said Smiths Falls Chief Administrative Officer Wayne Brown. "There's very expensive pieces of machinery that wear out very rapidly if there's too much grit."
But some parents say the town should never had planned to have the two play areas side-by-side.
"They shouldn't have put the sand so close to the splash pad if they're going to ask us to keep it out of there," said Smith's Falls resident and mother Sarah Baker.
Now the town is asking crowds to either use the splash par or the sand pit, but not both, to avoid problem of sand going down the drain.
If that fails, They may start charging people to use the splash pad.
"If the cost of providing becomes too great than they have to consider how it's going to be paid for," said Brown. "And of course in this day and age one of the first things suggested is user fees."
But parents say that's not a solution.
"It's a public place why would you charge admission," said Shelley Turgeon.
Using the splash pad also comes with strict rules, including no street shoes, no running, and no outside toys.
The rules also state kids must be wearing bathing suits to splash.
With files from CTV's John Hua
