yz450mm
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2013
- Messages
- 3,415
- Reaction score
- 6,693
Abandoned water park near Barstow could reopen
The remnants of what used to be home to Lake Dolores Waterpark in Newberry Springs, Calif. are all that is left of the park on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. The abandoned waterpark, which has been closed since 2004, can be seen off Interstate 15 Freeway. (File photo by Rachel Luna, The Sun/SCNG)
By Sandra Emerson | [email protected] |
PUBLISHED: December 5, 2019 at 3:18 pm | UPDATED: December 5, 2019 at 4:36 pm
An abandoned, graffiti-covered water park along the 15 Freeway to Las Vegas may be restored to its former glory.
Plans to redevelop the Lake Dolores Waterpark in the unincorporated community of Newberry Springs, will head to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors after being approved Thursday, Dec. 5, by county planning commissioners.
The park, about 20 miles east of Barstow, has attracted vandalism, graffiti artists, photographers and film crews since closing in 2004. It was in a Mini Cooper commercial with Tony Hawk, British rock band Muse’s music video for “Reapers,” and an episode of Viceland’s “Abandoned.”
But the park’s owner, G&GF Enterprises, LLC believes it can again be known as an oasis in the desert and even “a county landmark of national fame.”
Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREWhere to eat Christmas dinner at Southern California casinos
“It’s a pretty amazing project,” Michael P. Wauhob, the project’s architect, told commissioners Thursday.
Lake Dolores has seen a lot of change since its construction in the 1950s. Initially a campground near a small lake, Lake Dolores was transformed into a water park with water slides, a lazy river, bumper boats, jet ski water racetrack and a swimming pool. Families flocked to the park in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was most popular. The park closed in the 1980s when it couldn’t compete with more modern parks, Wauhob said.
The park reopened in 1998 for a few years as Rock-A-Hoola, then again in 2002 as Discovery Park. It closed in 2004 due to poor attendance, but mainly because of a lawsuit filed by an employee who was injured, Wauhob said.
If approved by supervisors, the 267.41-acre park would be redeveloped in five phases over five years, with construction expected to start in 2020. The water park could be complete in 2026.
Plans include:
The water agency has allowed 455-acre feet for the lake and 483-acre feet of water for the park itself, which is more than what will be used, said Om Garg, manager of G&GF Enterprises.
Newberry Springs resident Paul Deel said the new project would be an economic boom for the area, but he worries there won’t be enough water.
Related links
Vickie Paulsen, another Newberry Springs resident, suggested a more water-friendly project.
“You can be a pioneer of desert recreation and that would be cool,” Paulsen said, “with a lot of palm trees and water-friendly native vegetation, things like that. Rethink your idea from Florida to desert.”
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
The remnants of what used to be home to Lake Dolores Waterpark in Newberry Springs, Calif. are all that is left of the park on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017. The abandoned waterpark, which has been closed since 2004, can be seen off Interstate 15 Freeway. (File photo by Rachel Luna, The Sun/SCNG)
By Sandra Emerson | [email protected] |
PUBLISHED: December 5, 2019 at 3:18 pm | UPDATED: December 5, 2019 at 4:36 pm
An abandoned, graffiti-covered water park along the 15 Freeway to Las Vegas may be restored to its former glory.
Plans to redevelop the Lake Dolores Waterpark in the unincorporated community of Newberry Springs, will head to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors after being approved Thursday, Dec. 5, by county planning commissioners.
The park, about 20 miles east of Barstow, has attracted vandalism, graffiti artists, photographers and film crews since closing in 2004. It was in a Mini Cooper commercial with Tony Hawk, British rock band Muse’s music video for “Reapers,” and an episode of Viceland’s “Abandoned.”
But the park’s owner, G&GF Enterprises, LLC believes it can again be known as an oasis in the desert and even “a county landmark of national fame.”
Quality Auto 360p 720p 1080p Top articles1/5READ MOREWhere to eat Christmas dinner at Southern California casinos
Lake Dolores has seen a lot of change since its construction in the 1950s. Initially a campground near a small lake, Lake Dolores was transformed into a water park with water slides, a lazy river, bumper boats, jet ski water racetrack and a swimming pool. Families flocked to the park in the 1970s and 1980s, when it was most popular. The park closed in the 1980s when it couldn’t compete with more modern parks, Wauhob said.
The park reopened in 1998 for a few years as Rock-A-Hoola, then again in 2002 as Discovery Park. It closed in 2004 due to poor attendance, but mainly because of a lawsuit filed by an employee who was injured, Wauhob said.
If approved by supervisors, the 267.41-acre park would be redeveloped in five phases over five years, with construction expected to start in 2020. The water park could be complete in 2026.
Plans include:
- Rehabbing the 41-acre former water park
- Restoring the 22-acre lake and 2-acre pond for boating, swimming and camping
- Additional office and administration space, commercial and retail, which could include a library, amphitheater, hotels and restaurants
The water agency has allowed 455-acre feet for the lake and 483-acre feet of water for the park itself, which is more than what will be used, said Om Garg, manager of G&GF Enterprises.
Newberry Springs resident Paul Deel said the new project would be an economic boom for the area, but he worries there won’t be enough water.
Related links
- It’s lights out on big solar in San Bernardino County desert
- Short-term rentals in San Bernardino County desert need permits by end of March
- 6 things to know about Cadiz’s plan to pump water in San Bernardino County’s Mojave Desert
- Massive hemp farm — up to 1,280 acres — could rise in San Bernardino County’s Mojave Desert
- San Bernardino County rules on short-term rentals in mountains, desert move forward
Vickie Paulsen, another Newberry Springs resident, suggested a more water-friendly project.
“You can be a pioneer of desert recreation and that would be cool,” Paulsen said, “with a lot of palm trees and water-friendly native vegetation, things like that. Rethink your idea from Florida to desert.”