This news article will explain the mystery of why San Antonio’s most formerly well known water park called Super Water Slides got shut down. This news article will explain the closure. Super Water Slides was a water park similar to Splashtown. and Morgan’s Wonderland. Some of you may remember Super Water Slides was located next to San Francisco Steak House.
In the 1970s, San Antonio had an insanely popular water park known to locals as Super Water Slides. Super Water Slides was a water park similar to Splashtown and Morgan’s Wonderland. The water park boasted 4-6 slides on top of a hill which is one of the reasons why this entertainment facility was very popular.
Hamby Enterp Inc owned and operated what was first known as Super Slide and later known as Super Water Slides. Charles Flynn, L. J. Hamby Jr., and Jim Hamby were the owners. Super Water Slides first opened in the year of 1979. There were originally 2 water slides built on top of a hill located on 3 acres of land (later 5.3 acres of land). The waterpark later had 5 slides.
Here is what really happened with/to the Super Water Slides.
The death of Eric M Hayden is what shut down Super Water Slides.However this water park was abruptly shut down in only a few years due to the death of a 13 year old boy.
A 13 year old boy named Eric M Hayden died after crawling through an 8 inch opening at the top of a concrete water duct leading directly into the huge pumps that circulated water at the Super Water Slides in an attempt to cut in line to ride again. Super Water Slides had a wrist band system to determine who goes in line first.
Authorities say that Eric M Hayden (Eric Matthews Hayden) drowned just before his body was severed at the hips by blades in the pump mechanism. The huge pumps that circulated water at the Super Water Slides are what pulled him resulting in his death. He lost both of his legs.
Police Patrolman Donald Bocock said Hayden apparently crawled through an 8-inch opening at the top of a concrete duct which carries water from the landing pool to a covered tank leading directly into the huge pumps. The pumps circulate the water back up to the top of the hill. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/781465516/)
Hayden's parents worried because their son had not returned home were unable to find the youth when they searched the facility late Saturday night. The owner also unsuccessfully searched the park But when the pumps were reversed for cleaning later that night the youth's severed upper torso floated to the surface. Bexar County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr Nina Hollander ruled his death was a death by drowning and evisceration. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/781465516/)
On the date of May 22, 1980, maintenance crew installed protective screens to prevent future accidents from occurring such as the one that killed 13-year-old Eric M Hayden. Screens were placed over the facility’s two ducts. The water slide park had been closed since Hayden's death. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/781671775/)
“Workmen have installed protective screens at a local water slide amusement facility to prevent another freak accident like the one that killed a 13-year-old youth last Saturday night. Eric M Hayden was sucked into the huge pumps that circulate water at the Super Water Slides north of the city. He drowned just before his body was severed at the hips by blades in the pump mechanism authorities said. The faculty features four flumes running down a 58-foot hill. Patrons ride on a rubber mat down a stream of water and into a 3-foot-deep landing pool. Police said Hayden had crawled through an 8-inch opening in a duct that carries water from the pool into the pumps. Screens were placed over the facility’s two ducts on Wednesday. The water slide park has been closed since Hayden's death.”
Eric M Hayden was buried at Mission Burial Park North around May 23, 1980. His gravestone has an embedded photo of himself wearing a thick striped shirt. (Ref: https://billiongraves.com/grave/Eric-M-Hayden/9437149)
The water slide facility was to be closed until a protective screen can be installed to prevent a similar occurrence. Shortly afterwards the water park was shut down by the owners and had never recovered. The water park was demolished to the extent where absolutely no trace of it can be excavated now. Splashtown opened not too long after Super Water Slides had closed.
Hamby Enterp Inc sold the land to Besson & Joeris on a deed of trust for $1 million dollars on the date of March 30, 1981. The land was sold again in 1982. The property is now home to a US Department of Labor branch, Execupay, and Davis Law Firm. (Ref: Bexar County Land Records, Document Number 490852)
No comments:
Post a Comment