JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – A favourite Jacksonville Seaside spot is reopening for an additional season this weekend.
Journey Touchdown’s Shipwreck Island Waterpark has been open for 30 years, bringing a number of reminiscences for native households. Nonetheless, this is perhaps the water park’s remaining season. The important thing phrase is “would possibly” because that has been said several times for the last four years.
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News4JAX spoke with the proprietor and assistant basic supervisor, who mentioned they’re planning to be on the present Jacksonville Seaside location past that timeframe, no less than in the interim.
The water slides and the wave pool are going to be again open this Saturday formally kicking off spring break and its new season that may stretch over the subsequent six months.
Saturday’s season-opener marks 30 years of the park being open.
News4JAX requested the neighborhood to ship in a few of their reminiscences of the beloved household spot.
“I used to be 15 when it opened. We went as a household and performed mini golf and went go-karting. Many enjoyable reminiscences in any respect components of it and been to a couple birthday events as nicely,” Annmarie A. wrote.
Windy Leaptrott, the assistant basic supervisor at Journey Touchdown, mentioned the amusement park reaching 30 years is important.
“It’s big. I’ve been right here since 2009, so I’m 16 years right here on the park,” she mentioned. “Via thick and skinny, by way of not understanding and understanding, I’m right here and proof to see that we have now all of the workers right here. They like it right here. They arrive again, they hold coming again. We’ve got youngsters that began off as common cashiers that transfer up into administration positions.”
Though the amusement park has been anticipated to shut over the past a number of years, Leaptrott mentioned the event group that owns the property has given Journey Touchdown eight totally different extensions to stay open since 2021.
“We’ve got been lucky to efficiently prolong our lease many occasions already, which I feel speaks volumes in regards to the worth that we deliver to the Jacksonville Seaside neighborhood,” Leaptrott mentioned. “Relatively than concentrate on uncertainties, we’ve targeting what issues essentially the most, which is continuous to ship distinctive experiences for our households.”
Trevato Improvement Group owns the property and has plans to construct an residence complicated.
It will be 415 items with 30 of them serving as inexpensive housing. The positioning would additionally embrace 5,000 sq. toes of retail and workplace house.
The proposed plans began to take form in 2021 with the Jacksonville Seaside Metropolis Council voting to approve it in 2022.
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Journey Touchdown’s proprietor Hank Woodburn mentioned thus far he has not heard of any definitive plans from the event group but in regards to the future.
He saID since there’s nonetheless uncertainty, he and different amusement park representatives have held inner discussions about what relocating would appear to be.
Woodburn mentioned he want to keep in both Duval or transfer to Clay or St. Johns Counties, if it will get to that time.
Nonetheless, Woodburn mentioned proper now, his focus and hope is to remain at its present location.
“Usually, we are going to hear from [Trevato Development Group] within the summertime,” Woodburn mentioned as he talked about the event group sometimes would name him in July previously to supply an extension. “They’ll grant one other extension, hopefully, and lots of extra after that. We’ve got not heard something and we’re at the moment planning our thirty first 12 months.”
When Woodburn was requested if he was planning for Journey Touchdown to be at its present Jacksonville Seaside location past September 2025, he mentioned “Appropriate.”
“What’s essential for everybody to know is that our dedication to this neighborhood shouldn’t be altering,” Leaptrott mentioned. “Journey Touchdown is right here to remain within the Jacksonville market and we’re optimistic and persevering with our sample of cooperation with our landlord whereas we work on long-term options.”
News4JAX reached out to Trevato Improvement Group a number of occasions, together with greater than 5 telephone calls and voicemails, emails and even visiting an workplace with an handle listed on-line in Jacksonville Seaside on 1st Road North.
On the time of this publication, we had not heard again.
Journey Touchdown’s Shipwreck Island Water Park opens formally Saturday at midday.
There’s anticipated to be music with a reside DJ, TV present character appearances and no less than 30 prize giveaways.
Check here for the amusement park’s hours throughout the season and ticket pricing information.
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