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Carnival Celebrates Splash Island Opening With Atlanta Event

Liam Cusack ,
Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Director Mike Pack about to get soaked at the new Splash Island at Atlanta’s historic Adams Park.

MIAMI (June 21, 2016) — Today, Carnival Cruise Line, along with community dignitaries and local families, celebrated the opening of Splash Island at Atlanta’s historic Adams Park. The interactive red, white and blue-colored splash pad, funded in part by Carnival and inspired by Carnival WaterWorks, the cruise line’s onboard water experience, is the latest addition to the park’s pool area. The day’s festivities included a ceremonial ribbon cutting and plaque unveiling presided over by the City of Atlanta in partnership with Carnival executives, former Hawks player and nine-time NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins, Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Amy Phuong and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.

Children playing at the new Splash Island at Atlanta’s historic Adams Park.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to ‘give fun back’ to this great community and its families through the creation of ‘Splash Island,’ which will provide terrific outdoor fun and activity for area youth,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “Every year, we have the pleasure of welcoming thousands of Atlantans on board our fleet of cruise ships, so we want to bring a bit of our ships to the city, just in time for summer.”

Ceremonial Ribbon Cutting and Plaque Unveiling Highlight Day’s Activities as Residents Enjoy Park’s Newest Attraction Funded in Part by Carnival, Featuring Appearances by Former Hawks Player and Nine-Time NBA All-Star, Dominique Wilkins and Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed

Former Atlanta Hawks Player Dominique Wilkins greeting children at the opening of Splash Island at Atlanta’s historic Adams Park.

Following the opening ceremonies, families and their children wasted no time testing the latest, wettest place in town. New lounge chairs, tables and landscaping lining the pool area round out this Atlanta oasis. Park attendees will also be able to enjoy a customized art mural by Miami-based artist Nicole Salgar, which also made its debut today.

Carnival Cruise Line partnered with the City of Atlanta to complete Splash Island as part of a larger restoration project. Park Pride also contributed to the transformation of the Adams Park pool. With children out of school and summer officially underway, the fresh new space is expected to become a go-to spot for area residents.

“Carnival’s assistance with transforming the wading pool area into a more interactive, fun and safe splash pad for children and families to enjoy together will most definitely give fun back to the neighborhood,” said Mayor Reed. “We could not be more excited to share this beautiful new space with the community and put it to good use for many years to come.”

Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Director Mike Pack & 9-Time NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins.

“As an Atlantan, I know that shared community areas like these make big impacts for local families and kids — and I’m thrilled to lend my support to this wonderful project,” said Wilkins, who attended with his family.

Carnival Cruise Line Cruise Director Mike Pack getting the crowd excited for the new Splash Island and Atlanta’s historic Adam’s Park.

 

 

 

 

 

Some of the new fixtures that now adorn Splash Island, including splash buckets and cannons, are a small taste of the WaterWorks experience found on many Carnival cruise ships. This dynamic water park features hundreds of feet of spiraling water slide fun with the Twister Waterslide and Speedway Splash, which allows cruisers to race one another down a wet-and-wild course. A number of Carnival ports are within driving distance from Atlanta, including Port Canaveral, Fla., which recently welcomed the Carnival Magic.

 

About the City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation

The City of Atlanta Department of Parks and Recreation is committed to building strong communities and a vibrant economy by providing safe and exceptional parks, facilities, and programs. The Department of Parks and Recreation operates and maintains more than 400 parks and greenspaces. The city’s recreational and cultural facilities vary from small recreation centers to large cultural and unique amenities such as natatoriums, spray grounds and emerging sports courts. In January 2011 and in 2013, the department built upon earlier pilot projects to transform ten facilities into Centers of Hope. The city now operates 33 recreation centers, with 15 being Centers of Hope.

About Park Pride

Founded in 1989, Park Pride is the Atlanta-based nonprofit that engages communities to activate the power of parks. Working with 90 local Friends of the Park groups, Park Pride provides leadership and services to help communities realize their dreams for neighborhood parks that support healthy people, strong neighborhoods, vibrant business districts, a robust economy and a healthy environment. Park Pride is active in greenspace advocacy and educating both civic leaders and the general public about the benefits of parks, and annually hosts the Parks and Greenspace Conference. Learn more about Park Pride at www.parkpride.org.

Editor’s note: click on underlined words for more information.

Liam Cusack

Liam P. Cusack is the Managing Editor of Cruise & Travel Report (www.cruiseandtravelreport.com), a publication dedicated to providing travelers the same news that industry insiders receive. A self-described “travel nerd”, Liam is an Ocean Liner and Cruise Industry historian who has traveled to more than 60 countries, every US state and sailed on more than 60 cruises. After nearly two decades as an award-winning political journalist and investigative reporter at a major NYC daily newspaper, he decided to dedicate his career to helping avid travelers, like himself, be more well-informed. With Cruise & Travel Report, Liam strives to provide news and tips to make every vacation a dream vacation.