2 New Watersides Opening Soon At Otter Cove

Two new water slides are expected to open later this month at Otter Cove Aquatic Center in St. Charles. The St. Charles Park District paid about $1.1 million on the two new attractions, which include a "thrill-seeking slide" with a sharp drop that leads to a run-out exit and a triple racer slide that has a timer to track which rider makes it to the bottom first, Laura Rudow, superintendent of parks and planning, told the Daily Herald. Otter Cove, at 3615 Campton Hills Road, is the park district's biggest revenue maker, drawing 800 people each day and selling about 5,000 season passes each year.

And park district officials are hoping the additions will help the facility stand out and draw visitors throughout the region, Rudow said.

"You want to stay fresh. You want to stay current," Rudow told the Daily Herald. "We want to keep that traction alive."

Construction is underway on the new slides. All Otter Cove attractions will remain open during construction but the park's cabanas will remain closed until the project is complete, according to a post on the Otter Creek Facebook page.

The new slides are expected to be ready to ride later this month, according to Facebook post in the past week.

More via the Daily Herald and the Otter Cove Facebook page

Photo caption: The park district posted the above photo in late May that shows installation underway on the new speed slide at Otter Cove. Photo via the Otter Cove Aquatic Center Facebook page