Can these projects make a splash?

Not when it's beginning to turn cold, like it felt on Saturday anyway.

But this week Orange - cold, old Orange - moved a step closer to housing an inflatable water park at Lake Canobolas this summer.

Michael Hickey - the man behind a similar development at Bathurst's Chifley Dam - says there's enough interest in the concept to have both function over summer in their respective cities.

Given the upgrades at Lake Canobolas over the last 18 months, there's little doubt it would be a massive hit in Orange.

While there's been challenges at Bathurst, namely the closure of the dam on a number of occasions due to blue-green algae alerts, those same issues don't raise their heads at the lake.

It is quickly becoming a haven for fun during the warmer months around Orange and Cabonne.

The proposed addition of the water park at the lake comes around the same time as we're expecting to see some action on the new adventure playground construction at the Botanic Gardens in North Orange.

Funnily enough, that, too, is expected to house a water play space.

The redevelopment of that magnet of activity for kids in Orange is a long time coming. It should really reinvigorate the space and give children - visiting and those who call Orange home - a unique area to get active.

The adventure playground will be sensational for our children, while the new water park at Lake Canobolas will provide those slightly bigger kids - teens and older - with a space to spend some time over summer too.

That's a massive win for our city. Here's hoping both make a splash this summer in Orange.

It does feel strange to be looking to water sports on the eve of winter though.

Nick McGrath, editor

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