These locales on opposite ends of the Salt Lake Valley don't have a lot in common. But come the end of May, the bedroom community to the south will have an attraction that the capital's shopping center has had for years: a splash pad.

That's right. Herriman soon will be home to a water fountain designed for children to scamper through.

But compared with The Gateway's popular Olympic-themed fountain - during hot summer days, swimsuit-clad youngsters arrive at the downtown shopping center in swarms - the one being built by Sorensen Real Estate will seem grandiose.

"It's kind of a jungle gym with water," said Mike Bradshaw, vice president for development for Sorensen's Rosecrest development. "It's not just a fountain that sprays water straight up."

Water will shoot through rings. Kids will have playground equipment to play on, too, as water sprays them.

Placement of the attraction is interesting.

Sorensen is building it in a park at 5600 W. 14400 South, which is surrounded by homes that were built in the initial phases of construction at Rosecrest. There are more parks to come as the 2,200-acre development is still crawling up Herriman's foothills.

While the project isn't a secret, some neighbors didn't know they were getting the water feature tossed in.

"I like the idea," said Felicia Kane, who just months ago bought a nearby home.

The company plans to turn the park and fountain over to Herriman for operation and maintenance. Bradshaw adds that upkeep shouldn't be too burdensome because it runs much like a glorified sprinkler system.

The water won't be reused by the fountain - cleaning the water would raise upkeep costs, Bradshaw said. But the water won't simply be going down a drain.

Sorensen is installing underground water tanks to capture the runoff. That water will then be used to irrigate nearby grass.

Sorensen also opted for a splash pad over a pool because of liability and upkeep issues that would have been transferred to Herriman.

"It's much more friendly than a pool," Bradshaw said.

And turning the park over to Herriman will make the attraction a public facility - one that anyone can visit.

That idea is the only thing that troubles Kane as she contemplates sending her three children to the splash pad.

"I kind of wish it wasn't open to the public," she said, adding the hope: "I guess people won't travel that far for it."

jsantini@sltrib.com