1 The Benefits of Natural Light: Research supports daylighting’s positive effect on building performance and human health. Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg. architecturallighting.com; March 19, 2014

2 Daylighting, Gregg D. Ander, FAIA, Southern California Edison, Updated by U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Updated: 09-15-2016, https://www.wbdg.org/resources/daylighting

3 The Benefits of Natural Light: Research supports daylighting’s positive effect on building performance and human health. Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg. architecturallighting.com; March 19, 2014.

4 Energy efficiency in indoor aquatic facilities. Thoughtful choices yield significant energy savings, by Gary Lochner, Unison Comfort Technologies, innoventair.com

The Air We Breath

Part 3: Fresh Air... the new standard for ventilation.

Every interior space requires some form of ventilation. Natural, mechanical or a hybrid, but this is especially true with the chemical-laden air of a waterpark. Indoor pools are guided by the guidelines set out by ASHRAE 62.1, but per the CDC report titled the “Investigation of Employee Symptoms at an Indoor Waterpark"¹, these standards are not enough in a large voluminous space where water is splashed and spread differently than in a more typical pool.

Why Ventilation Is Priority

Ventilation is required to achieve and maintain good air quality, as well as thermal comfort levels but as the study shows, also the health and safety of staff and guests.

Natural ventilation was the main driver of architectural design before it was replaced with mechanical systems in the 20th century. Traditional buildings had a variety of shapes and layouts to promote ventilation by cross-breeze, stacking, wind towers, atriums, chimneys and more. However, studies of “old” buildings with high ceilings and large windows for natural ventilation, shows that they have greater ventilation than modern rooms of the same type.²

There is little evidence that ventilation directly reduces the risk of disease transmission, but many studies suggest that insufficient ventilation increases disease transmission.³

After the SARS outbreak in 2003, the WHO (World Health Organization) extensively studied the design and role of ventilation in healthcare facilities to help reduce transmission of airborne infections and found:

Increasing ventilation rate is believed to reduce the cross-infection of airborne transmitted diseases by removing or diluting pathogen-laden airborne droplet nuclei. A higher ventilation rate can dilute the contaminated air inside the space more rapidly and decrease the risk of cross-infection. Natural ventilation is able to deliver large ventilation rates with a low energy consumption. Compared with mechanical ventilation, natural ventilation can provide much higher ventilation rates.⁴

This is of course subject to the layout of a facility to maximize airflow patterns, identify the main driving forces (of wind) and sizing and locating openings. The WHO study set the standards for natural ventilation and promoted the use of low-cost natural ventilation, followed by the air of mechanical ventilation to move air when natural forces do not supply necessary conditions.⁵

The benefits of a naturally ventilated space are clear, for healthcare-related facilities (the study focus). These benefits can now be applied to all other commercial spaces, and, in this time of a new pandemic, the study conducted by the Guangzhou Yuexiu District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, set to be published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in July concludes:

We conclude that in this outbreak, droplet transmission was prompted by air-conditioned ventilation...” "The key factor for infection was the direction of the airflow. To prevent the spread of the virus in restaurants, we recommend increasing the distance between tables and improving ventilation.”⁶

But, psychologically, will that be enough?

Will people return to crowded mechanically ventilated spaces when the risk is so great?

Given that waterparks are primarily family- oriented destinations, parents may hesitate to enter a space with their children or grandparents that aren’t naturally and visibly ventilated. Even if they are able to socially distance in this environment, a family may worry if they can potentially contract a virus in the space, and reconsider if the space presents concerns or risk.

Open up your space.

So, how can we improve ventilation in a space that is already built? Simply put, we can cut open a hole in the roof and the walls, and introduce natural ventilation. It's not always simple, but at this time when all options are on the table, there are solutions to be found.

The CDC has continued to recommend the following protocols for indoor pools:

• Ensure that airflow in the swimming area is set up to minimize the buildup of chloramines in the air.
• Set up the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to move fresh air across the water’s surface and towards air exhaust vents to prevent the buildup of chloramines on top of the water’s surface.
• Exhaust air polluted with chloramines from the swimming area to the outside.

Bring fresh air from the outside into the swimming area. If the fresh air is cold, this will increase heating costs, but compared with the cost of patron discomfort and illness linked to chloramines its a welcome trade-off.⁷

No matter how you look at it, you need fresh air in your space, lots of it, as poor air quality can lead to staff and guest symptoms of illness, which now include the symptoms of COVID-19.

Using fresh air for ventilation has an added benefit:

Using outdoor air as a dehumidifying source when it is cost-effective, rather than using a mechanical dehumidification system, can greatly reduce total operating costs, provide better indoor air quality, and improve system reliability.⁸

But the ventilation efficiency decreases as ceiling height increases and the distance of the supply points from the deck increases⁹. So having an entire roof that opens up, might be the ideal solution to increase airflow.

There is a need to develop effective and appropriate engineering technologies and innovative architectural features to maximize the use of natural ventilation for different climatic conditions worldwide.¹⁰
In summary, per the global health experts, adding fresh air saves owners money and seems to allow operators to provide guests with a safer and healthier environment which may reduce the risk of virus transmission.

OpenAire has had the pleasure of building waterparks around the globe, challenging the stereotypes of traditional indoor parks. Our mutual goal is always to help them lead the way in creating enjoyable, practical and beautiful spaces, making custom solutions to suit their exact spaces and needs. From the northern border to the deep south, OpenAire supports clients in creating water parks for all seasons that are bound to “wow.” This includes:

• A top-five park in Texas; Epic Waters, the largest indoor Waterpark in the USA
• Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains Pennsylvania
• Zehnder’s Splash Village in Michigan
• Pirate’s Cay in Illinois
• Jay Peak’s Pump House Waterpark in Vermont
• Water-Zoo Indoor Water Park in Oklahoma.

Contact us to see how we can support your future waterpark vision, or assist in modifying your existing park to accommodate the future of improved daylight, hygiene, ventilation, and cleanliness.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color="black"][vc_column_text el_id="footnotes"]

Footnotes:

1 CDC Workplace Safety and Health; Investigation of Employee Symptoms at an Indoor Waterpark, Lilia Chen MS, Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 2007-0163-3062, Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio, June 2008

2 WHO; Natural Ventilation for Infection Control in Health-Care Settings, Edited by: James Atkinson, Yves Chartier, Carmen Lúcia Pessoa-Silva, Paul Jensen, Yuguo Li and Wing-Hong Seto, ISBN 978 92 4 154785 7 (NLM classification:WX 167), © World Health Organization 2009

3 ibid

4 Ventilation control for airborne transmission of human exhaled bio-aerosols in buildings, Hua Qian, Xiaohong Zheng, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China, http://dx.doi.org/ 10.21037/jtd.2018.01.24

5 WHO; Natural Ventilation for Infection Control in Health-Care Settings, Edited by: James Atkinson, Yves Chartier, Carmen Lúcia Pessoa-Silva, Paul Jensen, Yuguo Li and Wing-Hong Seto, ISBN 978 92 4 154785 7 (NLM classification:WX 167), © World Health Organization 2009

6 Study: Restaurant Outbreak In China Suggests Limits To Airborne Transmission of COVID-19, 22 APRIL 2020, SF NEWS, Jay Barmann, https://sfist.com/2020/04/22/study-restaurant-covid-19-outbreak-in-china/

7 https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/aquatics-professionals/chloramines.html

8 Energy efficiency in indoor aquatic facilities. Thoughtful choices yield significant energy savings, by Gary Lochner, Unison Comfort Technologies, innoventair.com

9 ibid

10 WHO; Natural Ventilation for Infection Control in Health-Care Settings, Edited by: James Atkinson, Yves Chartier, Carmen Lúcia Pessoa-Silva, Paul Jensen, Yuguo Li and Wing-Hong Seto, ISBN 978 92 4 154785 7 (NLM classification:WX 167), © World Health Organization 2009

Safer, Cleaner Waterparks are the New Norm

Part 2: Cleanliness & Materials

Health care professionals and government officials have clearly stated that increasing the frequency and thoroughness of cleaning is compulsory in order to prevent the spread of virus through contact. Global public health re-opening strategies include cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and PPE (personal protective equipment) as the basic minimum when opening.

 The New Normal.

The CDC, in their article titled “Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes” states:

Normal routine cleaning with soap and water will decrease how much of the virus is on surfaces and objects, which reduces the risk of exposure. In addition, disinfection using EPA-approved disinfectants against COVID-19 can also help reduce the risk. Frequent disinfection of surfaces
and objects touched by multiple people is important.¹

Clearly, parks will require new protocols and necessary PPE, with frequent disinfection playing a mandatory role in all staff duty expectations. This includes furniture, railings, tubes, lockers, counters, furniture, ATMs, etc. that staff and guests touch and comes into contact with regularly.

There is no evidence that the virus that causes COVID-19 can spread directly to humans from water in pools, hot tubs or spas, or water play areas. Proper operation, maintenance, and disinfection (for example, with chlorine or bromine) of pools, hot tubs or spas, and water playgrounds should kill the virus that causes COVID-19.²

In addition, scheduling for more significant maintenance cleaning and repairs will likely require more time than previously needed. However, some things will prove to be challenging to clean. Highly themed parks may need to implement no contact zones for theme displays that cannot be properly disinfected. Parks with easier-to-clean surfaces, columns, walls, etc, that are metal or glass will be a breeze to clean, and will likely increase their clients’ perception of whether the park is clean.

Those in the industry know that older indoor waterparks continuously perform maintenance around the park as the facility slowly deteriorates. The attractions and pools of course, require work, as do the attractions, pumps, and all the other behind- the-scenes equipment. Truthfully, many old parks have opted not to regularly “upgrade” interiors (until they are required to) due to the cost, design, theme, and so forth. This may no longer be acceptable, both by health code and guests.

Guests don’t want to risk getting sick, and a waterpark definitely doesn’t want to have to re-close should an outbreak occur. The detrimental impact to their reputation could prove insurmountable.

Evaluate How to Adapt.

Take a look at your waterpark’s walls, the attractions, the theming, and more. Can they be cleaned? How long do they stay clean? Materials historically used to build waterparks are subject to intense chloramines which attack and corrode the buildings, slide towers, railings, and pools. Literally every surface is under assault, whether they are wood, steel, or some combination of traditional building materials.

The CDC states; Another way to reduce the risk of exposure is to make long-term changes to practices and procedures. These could include reducing the use of porous materials used for seating, leaving some doors open to reduce touching by multiple people, opening windows to improve ventilation, or removing objects in your common areas.³

Parks built with non-corrosive materials like aluminum have a significant advantage both from a strength and durability perspective, plus from a cleanliness one. A bright, open space that also opens and ventilates naturally, simply doesn’t corrode. That makes these parks not only seem cleaner, but they will also be cleaner if proper procedures are implemented.

Avoiding the use of porous and corrosive materials will help maintain the cleanliness and health of your facility making your building components last as long as possible.

Aluminum is lightweight, high-strength, corrosion-resistant and widely recycled. It maximizes building efficiency by balancing the functions of heating, cooling, lighting, shading and ventilation. In addition, aluminum in buildings has been proven to last for multiple decades with minimal maintenance, lowering the lifecycle footprint of a building.⁴

Perhaps this time of global crisis means that the design of these spaces will inherently change. Perhaps bright and light will be the new norm? Only time will tell, but global theme designers will surely provide innovation in this area.

The concepts of what constitutes a good indoor water parks are now different, and they won’t default back to what was once acceptable. This pandemic highlights that parks who have already seen these trends are in fact, ahead of the curve.

OpenAire has had the pleasure of building waterparks around the globe, challenging the stereotypes of traditional indoor parks. Our mutual goal is always to help them lead the way in creating enjoyable, practical and beautiful spaces, making custom solutions to suit their exact spaces and needs. From the northern border to the deep south, OpenAire supports clients in creating water parks for all seasons that are bound to “wow.” This includes:

• A top-five park in Texas; Epic Waters, the largest indoor Waterpark in the USA
• Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains Pennsylvania
• Zehnder’s Splash Village in Michigan
• Pirate’s Cay in Illinois
• Jay Peak’s Pump House Waterpark in Vermont
• Water-Zoo Indoor Water Park in Oklahoma.

Contact us to see how we can support your future waterpark vision, or assist in modifying your existing park to accommodate the future of improved daylight, hygiene, ventilation, and cleanliness.

Footnotes:

1 Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes, May 7, 2020, Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Division of Viral Diseases, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html

2 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html

3 Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes, May 7, 2020, Content source: National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Division of Viral Diseases, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html

4 https://www.aluminum.org/news/aluminum-association-statement-new-federal-building- efficiency-standards 

Who is Ahead of the Curve in this Time of Pandemic?

Part 1: What do we do?

During a global pandemic, operators and owners of indoor waterparks are wondering where do we go from here? You may be asking yourself questions like:

“When do we open up this summer?”

“What changes do we need to make to open in the future?”

“How are we going to make the new normal financially viable?”

Teams are now actively discussing how to address these very issues, and where a pivot will be necessary.

Some outdoor waterparks have opted to remain closed for the summer of 2020, due to the inherent cost in ramping up for the season with training/staffing. Others will only operate at minimal capacity for the foreseeable season. For parks with a short season, it may simply not be “worth it” this year to open; a sad but fiscally conservative decision where needed.

However, indoor water parks employ their staff year-round. Staff count may expand and contract due to demand, but with the versatility to adapt their facilities regardless of season, indoor parks are riding on a decision of WHEN and HOW to reopen, and not IF.

Locally mandated social distancing guidelines and capacity guidelines will be a key part of every waterpark’s reopening plan. Like most businesses, owners and operators know that their viability to keep going is reliant on sales, so at some point, the doors must re-open.

Is your waterpark ready? Or are there vital upgrades needed?

As we all now know - times have changed, likely forever. Will a park that was “totally fine” last year be a park that accommodates the future, accounting for health and hygiene standards brought to the surface by COVID-19? From here on out, new standards aren’t temporary, they’re rewriting the future of health & building codes.

What are the items to consider as part of emerging waterpark renovation for existing parks, and future waterpark design/operation? What are the top priorities and considerations? Most importantly, what actions need to be made in order to put these waterparks ahead of the curve as they facilitate a reopening?

Here are a few of the top things that come to mind:

1. Cleanliness & Materials: Global public health strategies now include frequent disinfection of surfaces and objects that are touched by multiple people is important to reduce the spread of infection. Easily cleanable materials are recommended.¹

2. Ventilation: Typical indoor pool ventilation standards are still not enough for waterparks to reduce chloramine related illness due to the density of guests and splashing water². During this pandemic, perhaps more than ever, natural ventilation and the use of fresh air are recommended to reduce the spread of airborne viruses.³

3. Daylight: There is undeniable evidence that day-lit spaces hold the potential to yield substantial benefits, including increased energy savings, increased revenue in retail applications, and improvements to human health and productivity.⁴

Where do we go from here?

Parks built with non-corrosive materials like aluminum have a significant advantage both from a strength and durability perspective, plus from a cleanliness one. A bright, open space that ventilates naturally, and one that isn’t corroded makes these parks not only seem cleaner, but they will also be cleaner if proper procedures are implemented.

And, per the experts, using natural ventilation saves owners money and allows operators to provide guests and staff with a safer and healthier environment which may reduce the risk of virus transmission.

This is a win-win for owners and operators.

Waterparks of the Future.

The concepts of what constitutes good indoor water parks are now different, and they won’t default back to what was once acceptable. This pandemic highlights that parks who have already seen these trends are in fact, ahead of the curve.

Parks that opt for these choices use less energy and are cheaper to operate and maintain every year.

And now, it turns out these parks may in fact be safer for guests!

New studies demonstrate the correlation between the transmission of COVID-19 in closed environments vs. open air circulation. In a recent Japan study, the odds of a primary case transmitting COVID-19 in a closed environment was 18.7x greater compared to an open-air environment.⁵

Parks that shifted to modern principles early on have long been reaping the benefits of daylight, fresh air, and a clean structure, while sharing these benefits with their staff and guests. These parks are not only ahead of the curve, but they’ll have the privilege of opening with more ease amidst “new normal” demands from this global pandemic.

OpenAire has had the pleasure of building waterparks around the globe, challenging the stereotypes of traditional indoor parks. Our mutual goal is always to help them lead the way in creating enjoyable, practical and beautiful spaces, making custom solutions to suit their exact spaces and needs. From the northern border to the deep south, OpenAire supports clients in creating water parks for all seasons that are bound to “wow.” This includes:

• A top-five park in Texas; Epic Waters, the largest indoor Waterpark in the USA
• Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains Pennsylvania
• Zehnder’s Splash Village in Michigan
• Pirate’s Cay in Illinois
• Jay Peak’s Pump House Waterpark in Vermont
• Water-Zoo Indoor Water Park in Oklahoma.

Contact us to see how we can support your future waterpark vision, or assist in modifying your existing park to accommodate the future of improved daylight, hygiene, ventilation, and cleanliness.
1 CDC Workplace Safety and Health; Investigation of Employee Symptoms at an Indoor Waterpark, Lilia Chen MS, Health Hazard Evaluation Report HETA 2007-0163-3062, Great Wolf Lodge, Mason, Ohio, June 2008.

2 ibid.

3 Study: Restaurant Outbreak In China Suggests Limits To Airborne Transmission of COVID-19, 22 APRIL 2020, SF NEWS, Jay Barmann, https://sfist.com/2020/04/22/study-restaurant-covid-19-outbreak-in-china/

4 The Benefits of Natural Light: Research supports daylighting’s positive effect on building performance and human health. Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg. architecturallighting.com; March 19, 2014

5 Closed environments facilitate secondary transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Hiroshi Nishiura, Hitoshi Oshitani, Tetsuro Kobayashi, Tomoya Saito, Tomimasa Sunagawa, Tamano Matsui, Takaji Wakita, MHLW COVID-19 Response Team, Motoi Suzuki, medRxiv 2020.02.28.20029272; doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1101/2020.02.28.20029272

We all know Florida is pretty much the go-to state for year-round fun in the sun. Many people from further to the north and west will be heading down there soon, as winter starts to set in, to take advantage of the perennial sunshine across the state’s many beaches and water parks. 

With this in mind, we decided to find out which of the Sunshine State’s innumerable water parks are the best. It seems most are in and around the well known Florida Theme Park Capital of the East; Orlando! There is a lot of stiff competition but the internet seems to be quite unanimous that the following are Florida’s indisputable top five:

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon, Orlando

It comes as no surprise that the world’s most beloved entertainment brand takes a prominent place on this list. Typhoon Lagoon is listed by TripAdvisor as the number one water park, not only in Florida but across the United States. This is easy to understand when you consider its attractions: 

• The Crush ‘n Gusher water coaster, 
• The plummet in the dark that is Humunga Kowabunga, and 
• North America’s largest wave pool. 

With thrills and chills aplenty, all in the magical setting we’ve come to expect from Disney, Typhoon Lagoon can’t be missed.

Aquatica Orlando

If thrills are what you’re after, then you really can’t go wrong with Aquatica. Located just nine miles away from this list’s Number One, and forming part of the SeaWorld complex, Aquatica appears to focus more on the thrill rides than its rival does. Here you will find high-speed slides and wave pools, including the Taumata Racer – an adrenaline-infused, head-first toboggan ride. There is also the Dolphin Plunge, which takes you through the habitat of SeaWorld’s dolphin pod. That is if you can spot them as you rush through at high speed! It’s not all about thrills though; there are some absolutely breath-taking, peaceful beaches too.

Shipwreck Island, Panama City Beach

The pirate-themed jewel in the crown of Panama City features the famous Great Shipwreck, where guests ride out on a cable slide before plunging into the cool water below. There’s also the White Knuckle River – which speaks for itself – as well as Skull Island and a 750-gallon tipping bucket.

Disney’s Blizzard Beach, Orlando

Disney’s other Orlando Park comes in at number 4 with one of the world’s tallest, fastest freefall body slides – the aptly named Summit Plummet and a choice of three inner tube slides at Runoff Rapids. 

Rapids Water Park, Palm Beach

The last one on the list also features some of the wildest rides. Can you handle Big Thunder, which drops four-person rafts into an immense funnel for a crazy spin to the bottom? How about the Brain Drain, which features a pair of 70 ft vertical drops? All in all, Rapids has 42 rides. If you manage to ride all of them in a single visit, there would be no time for repeats.

At OpenAire, we know our water parks. We have built enclosures for many of the country’s finest, helping turn them into year-round attractions, regardless of the weather or climate. From the northern border to the deep south, OpenAire is helping clients create year-round water parks. These include one of the top 5 parks in Texas; Epic Waters, the largest indoor Waterpark in the USA; Kalahari in the Pocono Mountains Pennsylvania, Zehnder’s Splash Village in Michigan, Pirate’s Cay in Illinois, Jay Peak’s Pump House Waterpark in Vermont and Water-Zoo Indoor Water Park in Oklahoma. Contact us to see how we can help you! 

OpenAire's Newest Project is Epic in Nature and in Name and  will be the largest indoor retractable roof waterpark in North America!

A Texan city with the motto “Dream Big, Play Hard” will soon have a community centre and water park that lives up to its slogan. We're excited to announce that Grand Prairie, Texas has partnered with OpenAire, architecture firm HKS and several other creative and engineering firms to create a public recreation centre and waterpark complex that is so spectacular, it can only be called one name: The Epic.

This massive attraction for visitors and local residents of all ages will sit at the edge of Grand Prairie's Central Park and features a 62,000-square-foot enclosure which will be North America’s largest retractable roof waterpark. Designed in partnership with the architectural team HKS, construction of The Epic will kick off on Saturday, October 17, 2015 with an exciting “GrandBreaking”event for the whole community. OpenAire, HKS, Ramaker and the other design and engineering team members are ready to have some fun and get started on this Epic project.

The Epic water park will be one of our most ambitious projects to date, yet our expert team is eager and ready to take it on. The Grand Prairie Project team led by Deputy City Manager Tom Cox, Director Parks and Recreation Rick Herold, and Sr. Superintendent of Park Planning Tim Shinogle, knew that a retractable roof was the solution to making this waterpark an all-seasons facility. OpenAire will build an incredible free-standing aluminum structure with polycarbonate-roof panels and glass walls that makes a bold impression, yet connects beautifully with the rest of the centre's design. The graceful arched roof will span 160 ft. wide and be 384 ft. long and will link seamlessly with the adjacent restaurant, office, retail, arcade, party room, change-room and shower/wc facilities designed with the HKS architectural team. The result will be an open, light, bright and vibrant environment that will house the park's Epic selection of rides and attractions.

The design will include 18 retractable bays along each side of the roof's apex that will let in the sunshine and fresh air of hot summer days, while closing securely at the touch of a button during colder or rainy days. Reaching further beyond these heights will be a 83-foot-high cupola housing the park's slides. The top of the cupola will also feature two retractable roof panels to open up the slide tower to ensure riders don’t overheat at this high elevation.  Included in the park will be the longest indoor lazy river in Texas, the tallest Aqualoop in the USA, the world’s first boomerango and constrictor combination slide and the first two passenger Aquasphere in the USA. The full effect of the enclosure will be a huge, soaring space that provides Epic entertainment year round.

OpenAire’s signature thermally-broken aluminum framing system and glazed polycarbonate roof panels will stand up to the excess moisture and pool chemicals found in typical waterparks, meaning the city won’t have to manage the traditional ongoing issues of rust and corrosion maintenance. The retractable roof panels also allow in plentiful sunlight and breezes, reducing the need for lighting and air conditioning by approximately 27% (compared to traditional enclosures). This translates to a substantial savings on operating costs and a winning design for the municipal owners, guests and staff alike.

The OpenAire enclosure is expected to be onsite in May 2016, with a completion date in the Spring of 2017. The waterpark will be open to the public Memorial Day, May 29^th 2017. The full Epic complex will include an outdoor wave pool adjacent to the waterpark, 3.5 acres of outdoor recreational space, a massive entertainment grand “lawn”for concerts and events, as well as a fitness centre, exercise rooms, large indoor and outdoor play areas, an amphitheatre, library and more, making it a “mega recreation centre,” as Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen describes it.

Once it is completed, The Epic will be an amazing landmark in the Grand Prairie community, serving as a great accessible recreational space for the local public, and revenue generating opportunity for the community.

The October 17th ground breaking will bring the community residents together to celebrate their city. City officials will join with representatives of OpenAire, HKS, Lee Lewis Construction, Ramaker Inc., American Resort Management and other corporate and creative partners as they dig in to begin this grand undertaking. It's sure to be a great start to a truly Epic project, and we at OpenAire look forward to working with our partners in the Grand Prairie community every step of the way. Here's to Epic accomplishments!

For more information about the project please visit:
http://www.grandfungp.com/home.htm
https://jointheepic.com

To follow the OpenAire project go to:
www.openaire.com

A common question we’re asked at OpenAire comes from our water park clients: How do I maximize the size of my waterpark and still keep costs under control? Our answer to this is that the size factor need not conflict with cost concerns.

We’ve designed, manufactured and installed retractable roof enclosures with integrated workarounds to house the newest, highest, longest water slides and water attractions— while keeping the overall costs to a minimum. Here are some of the custom solutions we’ve come up with:

A slide that goes inside and outside

Not all water slides and water attractions need to be housed within waterpark walls. Many facilities we’ve worked on include slides traversing inside, zig-zagging to-and-fro, across and outside of the building, to conclude back in the park. This allows for longer and larger slide runs,without taking-up an excess of facility space. Plus, the extruding slide sections are a great teaser for waterpark customers (kids especially!) to get a glimpse of the fun they can expect inside.

Cupolas

To accommodate towering heights for slides and water attractions, cupolas can be added onto the roof of an enclosure for a specific slide / attraction, without the extra cost of adding extreme height throughout the entire water park. A cupola also adds an aesthetic appeal to the overall roof line, making the slide and slide location all the more intriguing.

Slide towers

Finally, slide towers can also be designed outside of the main enclosure area to generate sufficient height and space for the desired indoor slides and water attractions, while also providing maximum play area inside the main enclosure.

These three variations on water park design are just a small sample of what we make possible at OpenAire.

There’s no better source of information than that of experience. It’s a tangible, solid reference point for referring back to "what it was like” to see, hear, smell, taste and feel an object, place, or building. Many of our new clients come to us bearing a past experience in mind. They visited and enjoyed one of the many waterparks we’ve worked on and recall how a fully retracted roof created a lasting impression: the tactile sense of openness, sunlight and breeze within a fully controlled environment. They also describe the general structural layout of the roof they experienced and want a similar one. Their past experience is built into their expectations.

At this point in the conversation, we introduce possible waterpark designs based on those experiences and expectations, as well as our own expertise. The structure and design we recommend are contingent upon whether the waterpark isfreestanding or attached (i.e., to another building such as a hotel). The rest flows from there.

Freestanding waterparks
If the waterpark stands independently on its own, there are two typical roof types:

1. Retractable domes

2. Curved span enclosures

Attached waterparks

If the waterpark is attached to another building, we can integrate into the facility:

1. Double-slope roofs

2. Roofs with an offset ridge

There are also technical considerations. These include, but aren’t limited to, the building’s foundations, the thickness and height of the walls, the span / width of the building, whether there will be supporting columns and more.

Of course, each client recommendation we make is a custom solution based on that particular project. The test of our success boils down to the user’s experience. And that experience will trickle into their expectations for waterparks generally—whereto expect a retractable roof is to expect nothing less.

Waterparks face a daily threat that strikes bone-deep. Its source is self-inflicted, yet necessary and takes the form of chloramines: the stuff stinging to swimmers’eyes, which prevents algae and bacterial growth in water.The presence of chloramines leaves a waterpark’s skeleton vulnerable.

Chloramines are much more aggressive in a waterpark than any ordinary pool environment. Waterparks contain a massive volume of water, in a flux of movement from water slides, surf machines, wave pools and various water play. As a result, there’s a far greater chloramine concentration in the air that aggressively attacks the environment. The steel and wood erecting slide towers and other aquatic attractions gradually deteriorate with rust (steel) and decay (wood).

It isn’t pretty when the bones of a waterpark show their age. Rust can leach onto pool decks and into water. Most steel slide towers will require annual painting, along with time consuming and expensive ongoing maintenance.

But this need not be the case. Aluminum slide towers designed, manufactured and installed by OpenAire are resistant to deterioration from chloramines. This means they’re always attractive and won’t need repainting. We make them maintenance free, creating savings for clients through the ingenuity of our homegrown, preventive medicine. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.