SCRANTON — Summer in the city will get cooler in one neighborhood when a new splash pad opens next month.
At the newly revamped Capouse Avenue Park in Pine Brook, work continues on what will become the city’s second splash pad with completion expected in mid-July officials said.
A splash pad in Pine Brook follows the first splash pad that opened in 2021 at Novembrino Park in West Scranton.
The new Capouse Avenue Park is under construction in Scranton’s Pine Brook neighborhood Thursday, June 25, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The splash pad at the Capouse Avenue Park in Scranton’s Pine Brook section is being constructed Tuesday, June 25, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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The new Capouse Avenue Park is under construction in Scranton’s Pine Brook neighborhood Thursday, June 25, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
On Wednesday, during the opening of a new activity pool at Nay Aug Park, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti noted splash pad on Capouse Avenue should be ready to open in a few weeks.
Work began last year to convert the formerly long-defunct, nearly 1-acre Penn Ridge pool site at 1335 Capouse Ave. into a splash park and playground that city officials now call Capouse Avenue Park.
The playground has been completed but is not open to the public yet because the property remains a construction zone with the splash pad and other site work still ongoing, city Business Administrator Eileen Cipriani said.
Work at the Capouse Avenue site has involved excavation, installation of playground apparatus and a soft surface under and around the playset, construction of a pump house and installation of a tank and piping.
During its time as the Penn Ridge pool site, the property used to have a pool and bathhouse that were closed around 2010. The vacant pool and bathhouse then languished for years and devolved into eyesores.
In 2021, the city demolished the bathhouse building and pool and filled in and leveled the ground to make way for an eventual revamp of the site. The Cognetti administration and Scranton City Council used federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars to fund the project.
A 2021 Scranton Recreation Needs Assessment and Master Plan envisioned a total renovation of the then-blighted site between Larch and New York streets, to turn it into an anchor of revitalization of the Pine Brook neighborhood known for industry, businesses, tight housing and diversity.
That same year, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania began a long-term Pine Brook revitalization plan with an overall goal of creating a stronger, more attractive neighborhood by focused on improving “catalyst” areas, one of which included the defunct recreational site on Capouse Avenue.
UNC President and CEO Lisa Durkin and UNC Director of Development and Communication Chrissy Manuel said the city’s redevelopment of the Capouse Avenue recreational site represents a big boost to Pine Brook.
Durkin said community input regarding revitalization involved concerns about removing blight and creating opportunities for public gathering spaces and recreational spaces.
“This checks all of those boxes,” Durkin said of the new splash park and playground. “I think it’s going to be a huge win for the community.”
Manuel, a resident of Pine Brook, said the idea of turning the defunct Capouse Avenue site into something productive always was a “hot topic” in the community.
“Everyone wanted to see something happen there,” Manuel said. “I feel that once there’s something there, people will be very happy.”
A splash pad remains under construction on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at the former Penn Ridge pool site on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook into a splash park and playground the city now refers to as Capouse Avenue Park. Construction and site work for a new playground and splash pad there began in 2025. The playground and splash pad replace a former swimming pool there that became defunct many years ago. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A new playground at the former Penn Ridge pool location on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 awaits completion of a new splash pad there at the recreation site that the city now calls Capouse Avenue Park. Construction and site work for a new playground and splash pad began in 2025. The playground and splash pad replace a former swimming pool there that became defunct many years ago. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A new sidewalk at the former Penn Ridge pool location on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 awaits completion of a new splash pad, in background at right, at the recreation site that the city now calls Capouse Avenue Park. Construction and site work for a new playground, which has been completed, and splash pad began in 2025. The playground and splash pad replace a former swimming pool there that became defunct many years ago. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A new playground at the former Penn Ridge pool location on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 awaits completion of a new splash pad there at the recreation site that the city now calls Capouse Avenue Park. Construction and site work for a new playground and splash pad began in 2025. The playground and splash pad replace a former swimming pool there that became defunct many years ago. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
A new sidewalk at the former Penn Ridge pool location on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 awaits completion of a new splash pad there at the recreation site that the city now calls Capouse Avenue Park. Construction and site work for a new playground, which has been completed, and splash pad began in 2025. The playground and splash pad replace a former swimming pool there that became defunct many years ago. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The defunct Penn Ridge former swimming pool site on Capouse Avenue in the Pine Brook neighborhood in Scranton on Oct. 12, 2021. The pool was later demolished and filled in. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The defunct Penn Ridge former swimming pool site on Capouse Avenue in the Pine Brook neighborhood in Scranton on Jan. 6, 2022. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The defunct Penn Ridge former swimming pool site on Capouse Avenue in the Pine Brook neighborhood in Scranton on Oct. 12, 2021. The building was later demolished. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The defunct Penn Ridge former swimming pool site on Capouse Avenue in the Pine Brook neighborhood in Scranton on Aug. 3, 2023. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
The vacant site of the former Penn Ridge pool facility on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook, on Aug. 4, 2023. Scranton’s plans to revive the site with a splash park, bathhouse building, playground and upgraded parking lot.
The defunct Penn Ridge former swimming pool site on Capouse Avenue in the Pine Brook neighborhood in Scranton on Jan. 6, 2022. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton’s conversion of the former Penn Ridge pool site on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook into a splash park and playground began in summer 2025 and continues on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. Work on installing the playground apparatus and construction of a pump house and piping are underway. The city expects to complete the project in spring of 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton’s conversion of the former Penn Ridge pool site on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook into a splash park and playground began in summer 2025. Photo shows excavation on Sept. 9, 2025 at the spot where playground apparatus would go. The city expects to complete the project in spring of 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton’s conversion of the former Penn Ridge pool site on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook into a splash park and playground began in summer 2025. Photo shows excavation on Sept. 9, 2025 at the spot where playground apparatus would go. The city expects to complete the project in spring of 2026. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)
Scranton Police Officer Todd Garvey patrols the Capouse Avenue Pool in June of 1999. City officials assigned officers to two city pools following some recent incidents with patrons. (TIMES-TRIBUNE / FILE PHOTO)
Scranton Police Officer Todd Garvey patrols the Capouse Avenue Pool in June of 1999. City officials assigned officers to two city pools following some recent incidents with patrons. (TIMES-TRIBUNE / FILE PHOTO)
Scranton director of Parks and Recreation Mark Dougher speaks with Capouse Ave. pool lifeguards as he directs them to different pools in this photo from July of 2007. The swimming pool had been vandalized and closed. (TIMES-TRIBUNE / FILE PHOTO)
Murky water sits in the deep end of the Penn Ridge pool on Capouse Avenue in Scranton’s Pine Brook section on Aug. 11, 2010.The facility remained closed for that season. (TIMES-TRIBUNE / FILE PHOTO)
In this June, 15, 2001 photo, the Capouse Avenue pool looks like it is ready to go, but the city of Scranton is keeping some pools closed because of a shortage of lifeguards. (TIMES-TRIBUNE / FILE PHOTO)
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A splash pad remains under construction on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at the former Penn Ridge pool site on Capouse Avenue in Pine Brook into a splash park and playground the city now refers to as Capouse Avenue Park. Construction and site work for a new playground and splash pad there began in 2025. The playground and splash pad replace a former swimming pool there that became defunct many years ago. (JIM LOCKWOOD / STAFF PHOTO)