[Provided by Songpa-gu]
[Provided by Songpa-gu]

Seoul's Songpa-gu district opened the Seongnae Stream Water Playground on Wednesday, the district office said.

The facility stretches 160 meters along a winding, jar-shaped waterway that narrows and widens between 3 and 5 meters across. Water depths range from 30 to 80 centimeters, accommodating toddlers and older children alike. The playground features a wall fountain, a water slide, water balls and a rainbow arch, with 20 shade shelters and 13 Mongolian-style tents providing ample rest areas. Restrooms, showers and changing rooms are available on site, and visitors can borrow tubes, waterproof books and other water-play equipment.

The Seongnae Stream Water Playground first opened in 2004, closed during the COVID-19 pandemic and reopened in 2022. It now draws about 200,000 visitors each year.

The playground is open to all ages, though infants and toddlers must be accompanied by a guardian. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with a mandatory 10-minute rest break after every 50 minutes of water play. Admission is free.

The facility uses only subway seepage water and groundwater, and the pools are cleaned with a high-pressure washer before and after each operating day. The Songpa-gu Public Health Center conducts water-quality tests once a week.

Pets, bicycles and kick scooters are banned from the area to ensure children's safety. Six lifeguards and four support staff are stationed on site to handle emergencies. Operations may be adjusted during typhoons or heavy rainfall depending on weather conditions.

The opening ceremony drew about 250 children from local daycare centers and kindergartens, who took part in craft booths — making fans, hats and spinning tops — and watched a circus performance.

"The Seongnae Stream Water Playground has been a family retreat for Songpa children's summers for more than 20 years," district Mayor Seo Gang-seok said. "We will continue to create a variety of leisure spaces where residents can relax and enjoy their everyday lives with peace of mind."


cook@heraldcorp.com