Officials said most falls appeared to be caused by children running, chasing each other, or colliding in the water-play area. The office said the ground surface had been upgraded to improve slip resistance, but urged visitors not to run in the water area.
The upgraded water play area at Starlight Riverside Park (星光水岸公園) in Kaohsiung’s Asia New Bay Area (亞洲新灣區) will officially open May 30, with new facilities including water slides, aquatic play equipment, and harbor-view swings.
Calls grow for water-play facilities to remain open at least through October, as reports say from 2020-2024, Kaohsiung recorded the nation’s highest potential economic losses from heat exposure.
Public Works Bureau Director Yang Chin-fu (楊欽富) said the splash zone is just one piece of a broader plan to make the park a more attractive neighborhood space.
The new park will feature three large water slides, shallow splash pools, water swings, and landscaped rest areas shaded by existing trees. Facilities will include changing rooms, restrooms, outdoor showers, and canopy walkways, turning what was once a simple splash zone into a full-scale water playground.
