A celebration for a new kind of playground featuring frogs, orcas, sinking ships and even the Loch Ness Monster spouting and squirting water is set for Saturday, June 7, at Crossroads Community Park.

Clowns, balloons and a ribbon-cutting will all be part of the event, noon to 3 p.m. at the park, 999 164th Ave. N.E. Audience members can even participate in a dance in the Water Spray Playground led by Seattle dance ensemble “Phffft.”

The Water Spray Playground is designed to provide fun and recreation for all ages and physical abilities. The theme elements will offer play and climbing opportunities in all seasons. Located next to a traditional playground, the new playground is designed to have no standing water. The water spouting there will be potable and, in keeping with Bellevue’s environmental stewardship efforts, will be drained from the site and recycled to supplement irrigation at the park.

The Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club, which led fund-raising for construction of the Water Spray Playground, is hosting the celebration with the city.

Grants for the project came from the Washington Recreation Conservation Office, the state, King County Parks and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Major contributors included Sterling SRO, The Jordan Fund, Terranomics Metrovation, Davis Wright Tremaine, Howard Johnson, Colin Radford and Jim Owens. King County 4 Culture provided funding for the dance ensemble’s performance at the opening ceremony.

The Crossroads area is one of the most densely populated and ethnically and economically diverse neighborhoods in Bellevue. Park supporters hope that the playground will bring together people of all cultures as they engage in water play.