Or more accurately, drain block.
Children using the play area blocked the drainage system with sand from the nearby pits on Thursday, just three days after it was opened.
Muddy water then filled the area, with wet sand scattered around it.
The Waitaki District Council cleared the drains later that same day and through a social media post, urged parents to keep an eye on their children to stop it happening in the future.
"Local kids have certainly been having a lot of fun and doing what kids do best — finding ways to use (and abuse) things in new and exciting ways," the post read.
"We’re going to be putting up some signs for kids (and watchful parents) to make sure scooping handfuls of sand and bark into a drain isn’t a regular part of playtime."
By yesterday afternoon, the play area was again clean and usable.
It only took staff "about five minutes" to have the drain unclogged, recreation manager Lindsay Hyde said.
"We’d like kids and adults to enjoy it for a long time, so that means while council will maintain it the community also have to look after their brand-new play space too."
He hoped the new signs would be in place next week.
The social media post also tried to clarify why the council did not renovate the entire playground area at the gardens.
"It’s pretty simple, we had a budget of $300k for this project.
"Doing the whole play area wouldn’t have been just a bit more, it would have been hundreds of thousands of dollars more — the Caroline Bay (Timaru) one clocked in at $3 million."
While they have loved seeing positive comments about the area, the council was also aware "some people couldn’t wait to find something to complain about".
"But we know we’re damned if we do, damned if we don’t.
"We hope everyone enjoys the new water play area."
