Making a splash in Lynn

LYNN – Tracey Cornacchina says she can’t afford summer camps or other ways to escape the city to beat the summer heat.But she can surely afford to drive to Flax Pond when the weather gets too warm. There, her children can frolic in one of the two (soon-to-be three) splash pads the city has to offer.”I can’t afford summer camp,” Cornacchina said. The park “is free fun in the warm weather and it’s pretty clean. We come out once in a while.”With temperatures reaching into the 80s Tuesday, many took solace from the heat at the city’s two water-integrated playgrounds, the other being at McManus Field behind Lynn Tech.With a playground, a skate park and a splash pad, Tech’s park attracts many to the area. Dozens of children and their parents gathered around and enjoyed the spray of cool water while others migrated towards the cheerful music of an ice cream truck.Beverly Hijazi of Saugus was here with her grandson, 3-year-old Justin Bradway. “We’re here a couple times a week … at least once,” Hijazi said as Bradway happily ran through sprinkler after sprinkler.”He likes it here and this is close for us,” she said. “He doesn’t care how cold it is either.”At Flax Pond, which re-opened in 2011, the playgrounds were nearly vacant while a crowd of kids gathered on the splash pad, which overlooks the water.Cornacchina was there with her 8-year-old daughter Amiyah Santana, 9-year-old nephew Miguel Soto, and 1-year-old niece Aleesiyah Martinez, all of whom are from Lynn.”I love getting wet,” said Santana. “I like to come here every summer.”Cornacchina said she changes her hours at work in the summertime so that she can do things like this with the kids.Also free at Flax Pond was a station set up by Raw Art Works, where kids were able to run back and forth and do arts and crafts. Others ventured off to feed and chase the ducks and geese.”They love this. All the kids love this. They love to run around and get wet,” she said. “Anything they can put a bathing suit on for and get wet, they’re all for it.”The parks are managed by the Parks and Recreation Department of the Lynn Department of Public Works.