Green Square’s New Water Feature Sure to Draw Kids [VIDEO]

Cedar Rapids' oldest park reopened Friday and I like what I see.

According to the Gazette, Green Square dates to 1843. It badly needed a facelift after no improvements in more than three decades. It got it. Formerly known as Green Square Park, its upgrades include new seating, planters, patio areas, walkways, and a water feature.

Julie and I paid the green space (it seems weird to call it a park now that they've for some reason dropped that from the name) two visits on Saturday. We stopped in the morning and again in the evening to see the water feature's LED lighting.

Saturday evening after enjoying a show at Theatre Cedar Rapids, we found quite a few people walking through checking things out, but one young girl was thoroughly enjoying the water feature. She might still be there if her mom hadn't insisted it was time to go.

The water feature runs for four minutes at the push of a button. The drains re-absorb nearly all the water and as I watched it Saturday night it wasn't hard to envision plenty of kids running through the water on hot summer days and nights. Cedar Rapids may have just opened its most popular splash pad. There's a short video of the water feature below.

Green Square, at 400 4th Ave SE, is nestled between the Cedar Rapids Public Library's main branch and the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. I think it's a thing of beauty. It's pretty amazing to stand there and think that Cedar Rapidians have been relaxing in that spot for 173 years. The recent changes assure that won't be ending anytime soon.

[via Gazette]