Every Community Deserves a Safe Place to Splash
At Life Floor, we believe the best aquatic spaces do more than keep guests safe — they bring people together. That's why we created the Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest, an annual program designed to help communities across the country transform their splash pads with Life Floor safety surfacing.
Since its launch, the contest has funded installations that embody our mission of safety, inclusivity, and play. Each winner receives a complete Life Floor surface design, product donation, and expert installation support, ensuring their new splash pad will serve families for years to come.
As we wrap up this year's contest, we're reflecting on the incredible stories of our past winners, communities who've made a big splash with their vision and commitment to safer, more inclusive aquatic play. Learn more about the program and apply before November 14.
Let’s explore our past winners!
Andrew Belle Splash Pad
Winner of the Inaugural Make a SPLASH! Grant - 2020
The first-ever Make a SPLASH! Grant winner set the bar high. The City of Dothan revitalized the Andrew Belle Splash Pad, a beloved neighborhood gathering spot, with vibrant, high-contrast surfacing in Ocean, Bluebird, Aviator, Limelight, and Seafoam.
This installation became a model for future grant projects: bringing color, safety, and joy to an aging splash pad, while turning community pride into a surface that celebrates play in every hue.
Wells Park Splash Pad
2021 Make a SPLASH! Grant Winner
The Wells Park Splash Pad demonstrates how Life Floor can breathe new life into public aquatic amenities. With bold geometric patterns and color blocking, this project reimagines what municipal splash pads can look like, offering design-forward safety that stands up to heavy use and sunny days.
Handy Park Splash Pad
2020 Make a SPLASH! Partial Grant Winner
At Handy Park, what began as a simple resurfacing transformed into a full-scale refresh for one of Redford Township’s favorite family spaces. Life Floor replaced deteriorating concrete with soft, slip-resistant tiles that invite play and protect little feet. The result? A revitalized community landmark where safety and style coexist beautifully.
Rotary Splash Island at Sammy Haggard Park
2022 Make a SPLASH! Grant Winner
When the City of Danielsville sought to re-energize Rotary Splash Island, they turned to Life Floor to deliver a surface as dynamic as their play features. The finished design incorporates flowing patterns and bright tones that complement the aquatic elements above, proving that theming can extend seamlessly from ground to sky.
John Anderson Park Splash Pad
2023 Make a SPLASH! Need-Based Grant Winner
The City of Grandview, Missouri, was awarded our Need-Based Grant to replace the aging surfacing at John Anderson Park with Life Floor’s Ripple texture tiles, creating a safer, more engaging environment for Grandview families. The surfacing features custom gradients of blues and turquoise and an adventurous treasure-hunt theme that invites guests to explore every inch of the splashpad.
Morgan’s Inspiration Island: Will’s Hang 10 Harbor
2023 Make a SPLASH! Inclusive Design Winner
Morgan’s Inspiration Island is globally recognized for its commitment to inclusive play. As part of the park's accessible expansion, Life Floor installed a surfacing system designed for wheelchair mobility and sensory comfort, allowing guests of all abilities to join the fun.
The surfacing at Will's Hang 10 Harbor reflects Life Floor and Morgan's Wonderland’s shared belief that play belongs to everyone.
JCC St. Louis | Staenberg Family Complex Splash Pad
2024 Make a SPLASH! Inclusive Design Winner
The JCC St. Louis project embodies what accessible aquatic design should look like. The 774-sq-ft surface features Life Floor’s Ripple texture in oceanic hues of Aviator, Bluebird, Ocean, and Submariner, forming a calming, sensory-friendly gradient. The JCC utilized Life Floor’s standard hexagon shape and incorporated insect Inlays to complement their themed spray fixtures.
The splash pad supports JCC’s adaptive programs and early-childhood initiatives, ensuring safe play for users of all ages and abilities.
Fayette Aquatic Center Splash Pad
2024 Make a SPLASH! Need-Based Grant Winner
For more than two decades, Fayette’s splash pad has been a summer gathering spot for families across northwest Alabama. After years of use, the surface had worn down until the city received Life Floor’s Need-Based Grant.
The result was a complete surfacing transformation that renewed the space while preserving its hometown charm. Today, the pad once again buzzes with laughter, energy, and the confidence that comes from safe, slip-resistant flooring.
Why These Projects Matter
Each of these installations tells a story — of cities investing in safety, of designers embracing creativity, and of communities reconnecting through play. Together, they showcase what’s possible when surface design meets social impact.
Safety First: Every surface is soft underfoot, slip-resistant, and built to perform in wet conditions.
Inclusive by Design: From ADA-friendly transitions to sensory-friendly colors, each project considers every guest.
Playful Expression: Whether it’s geometric patterns or custom gradients, Life Floor brings design and durability together.
Community Driven: The Make a SPLASH! Grant amplifies the stories of small towns and large metros alike, proving that every place can make a big impact.
Be the Next to Make a SPLASH!
Applications are open for the 2025 Make a SPLASH! Grant Contest — but not for long! The contest closes November 14, with winners announced December 4.
If your community is ready to reimagine its splash pad with safer, more beautiful surfacing, we’d love to hear your story. Apply now and join the growing list of communities transforming play, one tile at a time.