Ralph Sampson Park

431 East Washington Street
Harrisonburg, VA 22802

Located on East Washington Street, Ralph Sampson Park covers 31 acres. The park has two picnic shelters, restroom facilities, three basketball courts, playground equipment, a sports field, and a Futsal Complex. A natural surface walking trail (0.3 miles) runs through the park as well. This park surrounds the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center.

City Park Hours

Spraygrounds

The Spraygrounds, at approximately 6,000 square feet in size with 36 different spray features and interactive elements, opened on Tuesday, July 1, 2025! The amenity is the newest addition to Ralph Sampson Park and is located beside the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center at the corner of Washington Street and Simms Avenue.

Admission: Free

Hours: 10:00am-8:00pm, do not use in inclement weather

Lightning Detection System Countdown provided by Earth Networks

No pets are allowed at the Spraygrounds.
No glass allowed on premises.
Do not sit, climb, or hang on the features.
Diaper-dependent guests must wear an approved swim diaper.
No food or drink allowed on the Spraygrounds.
The Spraygrounds is a drug, alcohol, tobacco, and vape free area.

Please check out the full list of Sprayground Rules & Regulations.

Project history:

ARPA-Funded Creation of a Sprayground - In December 2022, Harrisonburg City Council approved utilizing $2.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the creation of a sprayground at Ralph Sampson Park. A sprayground is a water feature that utilizes streams of water from different angles and at different times to create a unique, interactive play space outdoors. A City ground-breaking ceremony was held on Wednesday, October 9 at the site of the future play area beside the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center, 620 Simms Ave.

Harrisonburg Parks & Recreation revealed the new designs for the sprayground in June 2024. The full design video icon can be viewed on our Youtube channel at https://youtu.be/6jxc4KrevwQ. The 6,000-square-foot spray grounds will include 36 spray features spread across zones tailored for toddlers, teens and families. Interactive elements will allow children to enjoy different experiences across the park, with water spraying up from the ground, dropping out of elevated sprayers and even jetting out of features children can move around themselves. The project will include a number of other amenities for families, such as shelters and seating areas, restrooms, a playground, and green space for picnics and other activities. This project will be constructed within the space currently used by a baseball/softball field at the park.

Futsal: The Ralph Sampson Futsal Complex was constructed in 2021 and is located at the upper portion of the park. The dual-court complex is available for recreational open-play activities (weather permitting). Lights are on until 10:00pm nightly. Leagues or tournaments are prohibited without a Department issued permit. Visit our Futsal page for additional details, and future projects.