Nichols Basin could be home to an inflatable aqua park as early as this summer.
The Port of Hood River is in talks with representatives with Habitat Development Company of Hood River, who proposed investing $350,000 to develop a seasonal water-based family entertainment center, commonly known as an aqua park, in Nichols Basin.
Because the aqua park is a floating, inflatable attraction, it requires minimal time and construction to set up, and could be ready to go as soon as the port and Habitat Development Company reach an agreement.
Habitat Development Company would operate and maintain the attraction, and they estimate that two to three employees per shift should be enough to manage the site during operating hours, said Christian Steinbrecher, a consultant advising Habitat Development Company on the project, at the port’s April 8 meeting. A fence would close off access to the public at night, he said.
The idea was first proposed at a January meeting by father-and-son duo Jerry and Alex Thon as a potential way to create something that waterfront users of all ages and skill levels can use, since most of the current activities, such as windsurfing and kiteboarding, require some sort of expertise. Following that meeting, the commission gave port staff direction to continue looking into the proposal.
Since then, the Thons have joined with Isabel Von Zastrow, a Hood River resident and professional kitesurfer, to form the Habitat Development Company. The firm will organize itself as this project unfolds, Steinbrecher said.
The type of aqua park Habitat Development Company proposes is a series of inflatable slides, runways, ladders, trampolines and other obstacles connected together as a single large structure and anchored to the riverbed below. They proposed a model made by Wibit, a German manufacturer that also helps with installation and operational training.
“This is a different kind of activity than you currently have on the waterfront,” said Steinbrecher at the April 8 meeting.
Von Zastrow, who presented alongside Steinbrecher on April 8, said that she loves the diversity of activities and users on the waterfront, “but the one thing I really find lacking on the river … is the young kids,” she said, adding that parents who do traditional water sports will often bring their kids along but, due to either a lack of interest, skill level or funds, the kids don’t participate along with their parents and often end up just sitting on the beach.
The aqua park itself would be anchored to the basin floor and wouldn’t require any permanent structures. Minimal space is needed on land, they said, aside from a small space for a portable kiosk to store life jackets, minor maintenance equipment and a point-of-sale system.
“It’s very adjustable in that it can be moved … based on what the community needs and what we need to offer them to get involved in the waterfront,” Von Zastrow said.
Habitat Development Company proposed a $15 entrance fee for a one-hour session. “Entrance fees to this attractor will be low and thus encourage all age and socio-economic groups to participate,” Habitat Development Company said in its written proposal to the port. “Habitat Development Company’s economic plan allows for eligible youth organizations to have further discounted access to the aqua park.”
When asked about increased traffic on the waterfront and how it would affect existing amenities, Von Zastrow said that their target demographic is those families who are already on the beach, relating the atmosphere of a waterfront with an aqua park to a public pool in the summer when kids are out of school. She added that they have looked into different parking strategies, including shuttle service.
The commissioners expressed concerns about safety, such as water depth and underwater hazards, as well as existing concession contracts in Nichols Basin and the high usage it already receives from canoers and stand up paddle boarders. “It’ll have to accommodate what’s already there,” Commissioner Brian Shortt said.
The proposed diagrams showed a 100-by-156-foot inflatable structure on the west shore of Nichols Basin, but Steinbrecher and Von Zastrow said that the dimensions could easily be reconfigured. “We can really make it however it works best for everyone involved,” Steinbrecher said.
Commissioner David Meriwether recommended a linear design placed as far south into the basin as possible.
When asked about possible alternate locations, Von Zastrow said that because the aqua park requires wind protection, Nichols Basin is the only spot they’ve determined so far that would work.
Commissioner Ben Sheppard and Marina Manager Darryl Stafford later said that, in general, the recreational community strongly opposes the idea of putting an aqua park in Nichols Basin.
The commission gave port staff direction to continue conversations with Habitat Development Company to come up with a more detailed proposal.
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