With the hot summer months quickly approaching and schools days nearly over for awhile, the children of Brookhaven are ready to play. The water bucket dumps, the hose cannons and the high-shooting fountains at the Bethel Playground were set up just in time to cool them down. The Bethel Playground Spray Park on Fulton Street is open.

Officials met Tuesday for a grand opening of the new water feature. “I thank the lord for this,” said Mary Wilson, Ward Three alderman. “The children are really enjoying it and the parents like that it is here.” The project was a joint effort between the city and county.

The county worked with the Pearl River Basin Development District to fund the project. The spray park cost $100,000; 50 percent was paid for by the PRBDD, 45 percent by the city and 5 percent by Lincoln County.

“We are happy to work with Alderman Wilson to make this park a reality,” said Harold Gary, Lincoln County board member with the PRBDD.

Wilson has been working to raise funds for the spray park since she was elected alderman in 2004. A year ago she met with PRBDD to discuss a grant to pay for the park. Because the board of supervisors pays funds to the PRBDD each year, they requested the grant on behalf of the city.

The spray park opened May 1 and has seen children every day. Roughly 30 gallons per of water minute are used to run the park.

There are two other spray parks in the city: one in Bi-Centennial Playground and one in City Park Playground. The Bethel Playground Spray Park is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m everyday from May 1 to Sept. 30.