Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Water Park


About 1/2 hour from my folk's area, there's a water park called "Atlantis." We were able to get the whole family in for about $60 Canadian. There were 4 longer slides, a couple of medium slides, a rapids-style slide for which you used "donuts" (inner tubes), and then some smaller slides for the little kids. The slide with the tallest height requirement was in the kiddie area, but the pool you drop into was deeper than all the other pools. Connor had to swim the whole time. But that slide was also very wide, so people could go down together, spin, on their stomachs, whatever.

The best part was the hot tub. There was a shallow circular pool with seating spots that was just there to warm up in. It was 105 degrees, and mostly full of the little kids with no body fat and very changeable core temperatures. It was great for the breezy day we had, after coming off the cooler slides into the wind. You could sit in the tub for 5 minutes, and dry off almost as soon as you got out. For Connor, he couldn't possibly give up slide time, so we'd have to wait until his teeth were chattering. About the 3rd time, he went on his own to the hot tub to warm up.

There were also picnic benches with umbrellas, and the lockers they rented came with a key, so you could open and close them as needed all day before you turned in the key at the end of the day. And they allowed coolers if you wanted to bring food. There was also a concession stand. The only thing I bought was a lemonade, but it was a slushie lemonade - yummy! Of course there were changing rooms as well, plus a video arcade & gift shop.

On the way home, Lee & I discussed what would be necessary to open a water park in our town. We have the hillsides, we have other attractions, permanent and seasonal, and we have the hot weather all summer. It could open in May, and run thru September. I guess we'd have to figure out the cost vs. benefits with insurance, employees, etc. The kids think we could already start with just a few slides, and build it up over time. Hmmm. If it were next to the Freeway so everyone driving by saw it, we'd probably have people come from as far as Ashland in the south, to Portland maybe in the north (altho they have Enchanted Village up there, but that's got more kiddie stuff or big ol' rollercoasters). And then we'd have the coast & inland areas to serve as well. And anyone wanting to take a break from driving on I-5, I suppose.

1 comment:

keeka said...

Hey sure, go for it! We'd come!
: )