The Sunriver Owners Association has invested in recreational facilities for its central Oregon community residents known as the Sunriver Homeowners Aquatic and Recreation Center (SHARC). SHARC opened in 2012 featuring numerous water adventures, including a spa, lazy river, indoor and outdoor pools, multiple water play components, a kiddie pool, two slides, and a leisure pool with a zero-entry design.
The recreational facility also boasts a cafe, picnic areas, athletic courts, an amphitheater and outdoor play spaces. Each year, SHARC welcomes an average of 250,000 visitors.
Water play elements create exciting, interactive experiences while inspiring creativity and repeated visits. Guests can swim with sea creatures, pretend to be frogs traversing lily pads on a pond, or simply engage their senses with different textures to explore.
The Soft Play® team leveraged its expertise in water play equipment to develop unique solutions just for the SHARC facility.
The Sunriver Owners Association first partnered with Soft Play when the facility opened. When it was time for new purchases, SHARC trusted Soft Play again. The association wanted to update the existing water walk system and replace a floating log.
During this project, SHARC also wanted to add a feature inspired by its mascot, a shark. Soft Play shared the organization’s vision and collaborated with facility leadership to design a one-of-a-kind floatable.
Our team was up to the challenges this project posed.
Thanks to high chlorine levels and guest traffic, pools can be tough on water play features. In an outdoor environment, elements are also exposed to the effects of the sun’s rays.
The Soft Play team knew we needed extremely durable solutions to stand up to environmental factors and heavy use on a daily basis.
The team at SHARC knew they wanted their featured shark piece to appear friendly and not too scary for the kids.
After settling on the particular shark species to mimic, Soft Play designers and engineers worked with the SHARC team to develop a custom color for the element. We also added a smile to the shark feature that matches the organization’s logo and reinforces the theme of the facility.
Soft Play and SHARC agree that water play is essential for skill development in kids of all ages. Our teams wanted to provide features that embody the value of learning without compromising on the fun.
We tasked our creative childhood experts to deliver commercial water park play equipment for SHARC that helps their younger guests:
Soft Play partnered with SHARC to add numerous interactive elements to the facility, including:
Each element features our Hydro-Tuff® coating to resist UV fading and improve longevity in an aquatic environment. These finishes don’t chemically react with the water and are also abrasion-resistant for longer life spans.
All the equipment we created for SHARC outperforms when it comes to quality and durability. One manager reports that the shark floatable is among the most popular water features at the facility. Our playful trademark element lets visitors:
Soft Play is a trusted water play element manufacturer worldwide with a legacy of exceptional results dating back to 1984. Our team can help you transform your water park with pre-designed features or collaborate to design custom solutions that set your business apart.
In addition to our water walks, Soft Play designs and manufactures other engaging water play features like splash pads, floatables, water slides, and climbers and sprayers. We can help you attract more visitors with a proven element layout or customize features around your available space and budget.
Request a quote today or connect with your local representative to learn more about custom design consultation.