The new children's Splash Pad at Magic Island has been doubling as a shower for sand-covered volleyball players, and the city of Charleston is trying to put a stop to it.
As a result, the sand volleyball courts at the Kanawha River park are being moved, which has led to a good bit of earth-moving on the island, which is actually an island in name only.
"What you see at Magic Island now - that trench - is going to be the volleyball courts," Charleston Parks and Recreation Director John Charnock said. "The problem we've had is, volleyball players have cleaned themselves off in our Splash Pad. It's caused problems with it, so we're trying to separate those areas."
The Splash Pad opened last July.
The Charleston Street Department is digging 18 to 20 inches into the ground at the new location for the courts. The sand from the existing volleyball courts will be moved to the new location.
Charnock said there are no plans to install showers for volleyball players.
"Before, anyone that was playing sand volleyball, they were fine," he said. "Now that the Splash Pad is there, they're taking the opportunity to get the sand off."
Construction of the new volleyball courts will be completed in, "hopefully, a month," Charnock said.
"We want to dress up Magic Island," he said. "The new layout will make it more conducive for special events that happen on the island."
Reach Kayla Asbury at kayla.asbury@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @kasbury_ on Twitter.