Gatton Park on the Town Branch in Lexington, Kentucky, is a new 11-acre community park completed in 2025. Designed by Sasaki, and input from more than 16,000 residents, the park emphasizes inclusivity, ecology, and cultural connection. What was once an asphalt parking lot has been transformed into a thriving green space featuring restored Town Branch Creek, native plantings, stormwater management, historic stonework, a multi-modal loop path, playgrounds, and gathering spaces for events of up to 5,000 people.
Among its signature attractions is the playground water feature, which integrates Fountain People's Design Services and interactive aquatic play with innovative water technology.
Foot-Activated Water Flow
Water enters the channel through ballast fittings, which are uniquely controlled by nearby foot-activated bollards. Discreetly mounted within the park’s artificial rockwork, the foot-activated bollards blend seamlessly into the natural setting while enhancing the design. With a simple step or press, visitors can trigger streams of water that flow through rocky channels or burst from the dancing fountain jets. These hidden controls make the experience feel organic, intuitive, and engaging, inviting guests of all ages to interact directly with the movement of water.
Fountain-in-a-Can Jets
In the park’s lower plaza, the water feature culminates with a dancing display of six Fountain-in-a-Can jets. These flush-mounted jets create playful sprays reaching up to five feet in height. Each jet is equipped with programmable HydroValves, allowing for dynamic effects such as random bursts and “chasing” spray sequences. At night, integrated RGBW LED lighting transforms the jets into a vibrant, illuminated showpiece. Like the ballast fittings, these jets are also activated by foot bollards, giving visitors the power to turn on the water at their leisure.
Advanced Filtration & Recirculation
Behind the scenes, the system is supported by a robust filtration and recirculation network. Housed in a below-ground vault and adjacent equipment room, the system includes a 5-HP display pump, a 2-HP filter pump, sand filtration, strainers, a fill manifold, and a UL-rated electrical control panel. Water quality is monitored and maintained by a PH/ORP treatment system, ensuring sanitizer levels meet local health department standards.
Sensor probes in the underground reservoir automatically manage water levels—adding water as needed, shutting the system down in low-water conditions, and alerting maintenance staff to high-water levels for manual draining. These safeguards ensure reliability, efficiency, and an enhanced guest experience.
A Community Showpiece
By combining state-of-the-art fountain design services, user-activated controls, dramatic fountain effects, and a robust filtration system, all provided by Fountain People, the Town Branch Park water feature provides fun, functionality, and discovery. It reflects the park’s broader mission: transforming an urban space into an inclusive, sustainable, and community-driven destination in downtown Lexington.
Photography provided by Gatton Park on the Town Branch
