Waterpark opens amid repairs, planned upgrades

RED BAY — The Red Bay Waterpark has opened for the season with city officials approving fee increases and planning for upgrades following a record attendance year in 2025.

Individual season passes have been raised from $80 to $100; family season passes increased from $250 to $300; and a the admission for Friday night has jumped from $6 to $8.

Daily admission remains $8 for Monday through Saturday and $6 on Sundays. Party rentals are now set at a flat $350 fee covering the entire facility, including the pool, slides and splash pad.

Park and Recreation Director Dean Hubbard said the city had not increased prices at the waterpark since the splash pad opened in 2019. He said the price hikes were necessary because of the rising costs for chemicals, water and other operating expenses.

Hubbard, who described the waterpark as “a cheap day to get away,” said officials wanted to keep regular daily admission affordable for local families.

Waterpark Manager Brooke Gober said the city dealt with extensive maintenance work ahead of the 2026 season, particularly involving the adult pool and slide systems.

“This year, I think, has probably been our hardest year for maintenance issues,” she said.

Gober said workers repaired a hole in the fiberglass adult pool wall after sand behind the retaining wall had washed out.

Crews also repaired leaks, replaced tiles, sealed cracks, and addressed slide motor and pressure issues.

Gober said additional repairs are scheduled.

“It was built in 1972,” she said of the main pool. “Same concrete, pretty much the same tiles, so just typical maintenance for a 50-year-old pool.”

Gober said the waterpark hosted more than 80 parties last season, the highest total during her years at the facility.

She said the park drew nearly 12,000 visitors last year, the highest attendance during her 13 summers working at the facility. Attendance during that time has grown from roughly 4,000 annual visitors.

Hubbard said the waterpark has become a regional draw, particularly for visitors from Mississippi communities including Iuka, Tupelo, Fulton, Amory, Corinth, Pontotoc and Saltillo.

City records show the waterpark has attracted visitors from outside the area in recent years.

Hubbard said the waterpark operated at a loss for years before beginning to break even or make small profits in recent seasons.

“For three years in a row, we were actually in the black,” Hubbard said.

Gober said waterpark operations have improved since 2023 through tighter expense management, leak repairs, and more efficient chemical use.

Red Bay Waterpark Manager Brooke Gober said the city completed extensive maintenance work ahead of the 2026 season, particularly involving the adult pool and slide systems.

The city is also planning future improvements through a grant funded Red Bay Fun Park project administered through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

According to documents, the project includes waterslide upgrades, a pickleball court, a fenced dog park, walking trail extensions, signage and storm drainage improvements.

Gober said the city plans to replace the current kiddie slides as part of the project. She said the new slides should arrive later this summer.

The waterpark includes a large L-shaped pool, two larger slides, smaller kiddie slides, a splash pad, and an adult pool, according to Gober.

She said the L-shaped pool was originally built in 1972, while the larger slide areas were added in the late 1990s. She said the splash pad opened in 2019.

The park is open Monday through Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m.

Gober said the Friday night swims are held occasionally throughout the summer from 6 to 10 p.m. with announcements posted on the City of Red Bay Facebook page.

Swimming lessons and water aerobics registration are currently open through the city’s RecDesk system, she said.

Hubbard said about 20 people had already signed up for swimming lessons. He said the department added evening swimming lesson sessions this year after receiving requests from families needing later class times.

Gober said class sizes are capped to help maintain safety and instructional quality.

For information about the Red Bay Waterpark, visit the City of Red Bay Facebook page, or call 256356-2911.