September 6, 2017 at 1:36 a.m.
Water park attendance drops
Officials suspect cooler weather had impact on general admission sales
Water park attendance drops
Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
Numbers dropped during Portland Water Park’s second season, but that seems to have been more because of the weather than to lack of novelty.
Portland Water Park manager Missy Bader gave an end-of-season report Tuesday to Portland Park Board, noting that attendance was down by more than 8,000 leading to a drop in income of about $28,000.
Board members also heard ideas for additions and improvements to the city’s facilities.
The water park’s year-end report shows the facility, which closed its season Monday, had a total attendance of 25,153 this year. That’s down from 33,826 during the inaugural 2016 campaign.
The facility brought in $133,873.85, which is down from $161,636.40 a year ago. The water park saw an increase in ticket sales for family passes (up $4,230), but had a significant drop in general admission (down $26,427) as well as concessions (down $4,491.91).
Bader pointed out that attendance and income were up through the first week of July, but have dropped off since. Unseasonably cool temperatures suppressed attendance and sometimes forced the facility to close. That was true during the final weekend, as the gate stayed shut Saturday when the high topped out at 67 degrees.
“It’s the general admission that is down. I think that comes into play because of the weather,” said Bader. “July and August have been unusually cool.”
Information from usclimatedata.com and weather.com shows the temperature never hit 90 degrees in Portland while highs were in the 80s 25 times over the final five weeks the water park was open this year.
During the same span in 2016, eight days hit the 90-degree mark and 26 were in the 80s.
Asked by park board president Rod Ashman about potential changes for next year, Bader had a couple of suggestions. She asked that the board set a guideline for family passes to avoid any controversy or confusion about what constitutes a family and said an air conditioning unit for the water park office would be helpful.
Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman said city crews will be working on cleaning and winterizing the facility this month.
Delaware County business owner Steve Lambert approached board members Giles Laux, Chris Compton and Ashman, absent Kristi Betts and Shauna Runkle, about developing a community archery park on 74 acres of land owned by Portland Economic Development Corporation west of Tyson Mexican Original on Tyson Road.
Lambert, who owns Dalton and Co. Professional Cleaning Supply and Triple S Outdoors, said he’d like to develop the park in part to give local archery teams a dedicated place to practice and compete. He plans for the facility to be self-sustaining and remain under city ownership.
The facility would not necessarily be under the park board’s jurisdiction, but Lambert and Geesaman said they want to keep the group informed about any plans or progress.
Mitch Harter, who organized a cornhole tournament last month that raised $1,300 for Jay County Cancer Society, asked the park board for its blessing to work on raising money and getting quotes to revitalize Milton Miller Park on the city’s north side. He specifically said he’d like to rehabilitate the tennis courts to be used for both cornhole and pickleball.
“I’m glad that you’re taking the initiative to help,” said Ashman, as the board gave its blessing for Harter to gather more information. “That’s great.”
The board also got a parks update from Geesaman, who said installation of a Swing of Faith is underway at Hudson Family Park and two obstacles at the bark park have been fixed.
All Rights Reserved
Numbers dropped during Portland Water Park’s second season, but that seems to have been more because of the weather than to lack of novelty.
Portland Water Park manager Missy Bader gave an end-of-season report Tuesday to Portland Park Board, noting that attendance was down by more than 8,000 leading to a drop in income of about $28,000.
Board members also heard ideas for additions and improvements to the city’s facilities.
The water park’s year-end report shows the facility, which closed its season Monday, had a total attendance of 25,153 this year. That’s down from 33,826 during the inaugural 2016 campaign.
The facility brought in $133,873.85, which is down from $161,636.40 a year ago. The water park saw an increase in ticket sales for family passes (up $4,230), but had a significant drop in general admission (down $26,427) as well as concessions (down $4,491.91).
Bader pointed out that attendance and income were up through the first week of July, but have dropped off since. Unseasonably cool temperatures suppressed attendance and sometimes forced the facility to close. That was true during the final weekend, as the gate stayed shut Saturday when the high topped out at 67 degrees.
“It’s the general admission that is down. I think that comes into play because of the weather,” said Bader. “July and August have been unusually cool.”
Information from usclimatedata.com and weather.com shows the temperature never hit 90 degrees in Portland while highs were in the 80s 25 times over the final five weeks the water park was open this year.
During the same span in 2016, eight days hit the 90-degree mark and 26 were in the 80s.
Asked by park board president Rod Ashman about potential changes for next year, Bader had a couple of suggestions. She asked that the board set a guideline for family passes to avoid any controversy or confusion about what constitutes a family and said an air conditioning unit for the water park office would be helpful.
Portland Mayor Randy Geesaman said city crews will be working on cleaning and winterizing the facility this month.
Delaware County business owner Steve Lambert approached board members Giles Laux, Chris Compton and Ashman, absent Kristi Betts and Shauna Runkle, about developing a community archery park on 74 acres of land owned by Portland Economic Development Corporation west of Tyson Mexican Original on Tyson Road.
Lambert, who owns Dalton and Co. Professional Cleaning Supply and Triple S Outdoors, said he’d like to develop the park in part to give local archery teams a dedicated place to practice and compete. He plans for the facility to be self-sustaining and remain under city ownership.
The facility would not necessarily be under the park board’s jurisdiction, but Lambert and Geesaman said they want to keep the group informed about any plans or progress.
Mitch Harter, who organized a cornhole tournament last month that raised $1,300 for Jay County Cancer Society, asked the park board for its blessing to work on raising money and getting quotes to revitalize Milton Miller Park on the city’s north side. He specifically said he’d like to rehabilitate the tennis courts to be used for both cornhole and pickleball.
“I’m glad that you’re taking the initiative to help,” said Ashman, as the board gave its blessing for Harter to gather more information. “That’s great.”
The board also got a parks update from Geesaman, who said installation of a Swing of Faith is underway at Hudson Family Park and two obstacles at the bark park have been fixed.
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