The Wave Water Park Slides Reopen Memorial Weekend

DUBLIN, CA — Dublin's popular water park slides at The Wave will reopen on Saturday for the 2018 season. The facility celebrated its grand opening on Memorial Day weekend in 2017 and more than 55,000 people visited during the first season. A 10-year-old boy was injured as he was launched out of the Emerald Plunge at its finish during the opening weekend of the park, which prompted city officials to close the slide during the investigation.

“The State of California’s Division of Safety and Health (DOSH), working with the manufacturer and the City’s amusement ride safety expert Ed Pribonic, determined that the initial water flow and water height settings established by the manufacturer for the Emerald Plunge were such that riders of certain heights and weights were prone to being lifted out of the slide at the transition to the run out,” city officials said in a statement. “The manufacturer conducted extensive testing throughout the last year to identify the safest settings for users of varying heights and weights. These settings were then tested by live riders and all the testing complied with the most current amusement industry safety standards established by ASTM International, an international standards-setting organization. DOSH has recertified the slides with the revised settings.”

All of the slides have since reopened and city officials said they, along with the slide manufacturer, believe they are safe.

“This year, the City has added new features to The Wave including a new concession facility offering many more food options to visitors of the water park,” city officials said. “The concession facility will be open daily during operational hours. In addition, the City is now offering discounted entry of $10 (and up to three guests) for military members and veterans, and season passes for Dublin residents that allow entry Monday–Thursday.”

The Wave, which is part of the 31,000 square-foot aquatic facility located inside one of Dublin's biggest parks, uses almost 500,000 gallons of water and boasts six water slides, three pools and a year-round swim program. City officials said the facility also hosted 98 group rentals, 2500 swim school students, 147 birthday parties; and employed 170 staff members in its first year of operation.

The Wave is located at in Emerald Glen Park at 4201 Central Parkway. Follow The Wave on Facebook.

Photo courtesy Autumn Johnson/ Patch