The Free Press, Mankato, MN

Local News

September 7, 2010

Nearly 30,000 visit Waseca Water Park in 2010

By Brian Ojanpa The Free Press

WASECA — Hot plus humid equaled hordes of patrons this summer at Waseca Water Park.

A surfeit of sultry days in 2010 drew nearly 30,000 visitors to the 4-year-old facility and helped offset attendance lags brought on by the unusually cool summer of 2009.

Park manager Sara Heyer said attendance during the facility’s 94-day run also was aided by a record number of private rentals.

“We nearly doubled our rentals over last year. I just think the word is out to businesses that this is a great value if you’re a company looking for a way to show appreciation to your employees.”

Another boon to business was the park taking on community swimming lessons that formerly were conducted at the Waseca High School pool.

“All our swimming lessons were completely booked this year. We had a waiting list for every class, so next year we have to add more,” Heyer said.

She said the attendance high point occurred the first weekend in July, when the park’s 600-person capacity was reached and people wanting to get in had to wait until a commensurate number of people left.

The park was closed a total of 10 days this summer due to cool/rainy weather as opposed to 21 closures last year, when the park drew about 18,000 visitors.

That summer was one of the coolest on record in Minnesota, with the greater Mankato area recording no 90-degree days in all of July and August.

Heyer said temperatures in the high 80s are ideal for water parks, and people tend to stay away when temperatures fall into the low 70s.

The park’s pool water is kept at 80 to 82 degrees.

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