A new splash pad is on the way for the Memphis Zoo in the spring.
The AquiFUR is now under construction in the area that once housed the zoo’s hippos before they were moved to the Zambezi River Hippo camp in 2016.
The splash pad will be an immersive, zero-depth water play area with slides, dump-buckets, interactive water toys, and a special section just for toddlers, according to the zoo. It will also feature luxury cabanas and party rooms “great for families, groups, birthday parties, and other events.” The AquiFUR will be for children 10 years and younger.
“Over the years our visitors have repeatedly demonstrated that they enjoy the few water features at the zoo,” reads a statement form the zoo. “We wanted to be a safe place that can be enjoyed by all even during the extremely hot days we experience in Memphis. AquiFUR should provide a great oasis for our younger visitors and their parents to cool off while spending a fun filled day at the zoo.”
The splash pad will have an Egyptian theme, “as a tribute to the very beginning of our city.” The AquiFUR gets its name from the Memphis aquifer, according to the zoo, and has a “playful spin for our animals.”