Waterparks: The wave of the Future

Parks & Recreation, Nov, 1998 by Ron Atlas

Chicago features one of the largest park districts in the world, has arguably the strictest building codes in the country, and is one of the best proving grounds for what does and does not work in developing modern waterparks.

The modern waterpark features slides, interactive play areas, recreational swimming, and sand volleyball. It is designed with the enjoyment of both young and old residents in mind.

As a veteran waterpark developer, it is my hope that my experience in building and renovating parks to appeal to an evolving marketplace can reduce some of the headaches that potential planners and aquatic professionals will face when planning or developing their own municipal waterparks.

Why a Waterpark?

There are several reasons why waterparks are tremendously popular these days. In my work, I have found that many old-fashioned swimming pools are becoming obsolete; they are a drain on labor, chemicals, and maintenance. Municipal waterparks are softer in appearance and greener than old-fashioned swimming pools. Virtually every municipal waterpark is operating on a positive cash flow, while many dated swimming facilities operate in the negative.

A Case Study of Positive Cash Flow

A recent project in Barrington, Illinois, illustrates the market demand for waterparks. The Langendorf Pool was an existing three-pool facility that the municipality wished converted into a waterpark. It was the park district's desire to maintain three separate pools, and create an aquatic facility. The three existing pools were removed, and three new pools were installed in their place. These included a zero-depth (beach-entry) pool with a slide, bubblers, and sprays; a competition pool with six lanes and two 150-foot slides; and a third pool with two drop slides and several diving boards and stands.

This impressive facility is doing exceptionally well. More than 3,000 family memberships were sold before the pool opened. The construction schedule was tight, with a mid-July opening date originally projected by the park district. "It didn't hurt that the pool opened 17 days earlier than expected," commented Tom Taylor, director of the Barrington Park District. "The overall response to the new waterpark has exceeded all expectations."

The community so embraced this new facility that the park district has begun an expansion program to include a fitness center and cafeteria-style concession area. The bottom line is that waterparks offer more fun and variety, allowing municipalities and park districts to charge more for memberships and admission.

It's Worth It

Because a well-designed waterpark offers a superior recreational experience, municipalities can charge more. Moreover, an exciting waterpark supports a concessions operation that generates additional revenue from the sale of food, drinks, amusements, and merchandise.

For example, in 1997 the Woodridge (IL) Park District opened Cypress Cove, an 8.5-acre waterpark. Attendance for the first year, a partial season, was 90,000, compared with a combined 56,000 for a full season at two older outdoor swimming pools. Park district Director Keith Frankland said he expects 105,000 to 110,000 visitors during the 1998 season. Since the waterpark opened, the park district has closed one of its two older pools.

The admission fees at Cypress Cove are higher than those charged at the district's older swimming pools. The daily fee at the pool is $3; Cypress Cove charges $6 a day for residents and $9 for non-residents. The Illinois Park and Recreation Association named Cypress Cove its outstanding aquatic facility of 1997, and the park received the Daniel L. Flaherty Park Excellence Award from the Chicago Park District.

Features Make the Difference

Waterparks have "raised the bar" on the public's expectations. This means that waterparks have to be designed with features in mind both for today and for the future. The trend in pool design includes interactive features such as cannons and fountains that shoot water at the touch of a button, spray features that are controlled by kids pulling ropes or turning valves, and squirting bicycles operated by pedaling.

The "lazy river" is a popular attraction that draws both adults and children. Floating down the river on an inner tube, swimmers are able to relax while cooling off. The footprint for a lazy-river attraction is limitless. A natural "icing on the cake" of any thoughtfully designed waterpark, it can handle a high volume of people at a reasonable cost.

A good waterpark is designed with the future in mind. Cypress Cove is laid out to allow the periodic addition of new features; even the lazy river is designed for expansion. A water playground is the next planned addition to this successful municipal facility. More designers are becoming involved in the waterpark process, increasing the number of features to which the public is exposed. Any waterpark design should allow for room to expand on existing features.

Don't Forget the Details

Waterparks have specific considerations of which municipalities and developers must be aware; it's not all just fun and profits. Often, parks will need to increase staff to handle the influx of patrons. This means hiring more maintenance people and lifeguards. Because patrons may be spread out over a larger, more complex area, the addition of several lifeguards may be necessary.