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 (Hamby Enterprises Inc) was formed as a corporation in 1978 by L. J. Hamby Jr., and Jim Hamby. Hamby Enterp Inc would operate a water park called Super Water Slides. (Ref: Bexar County Land Records, Volume 1275, Page 218)
L. J. Hamby Jr., and Jim Hamby purchased 3 acres of land from Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company for a water park near the San Antonio International Airport on the date of December 27, 1978 for an undetermined amount of money. (Ref: Bexar County Land Records, Volume 1404, Pages 757-759)
A public resolution was passed and resolved by the Board of Directors of Hamby Enterprises Inc (Hamby Enterp Inc) in 1979. 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). (Ref: Bexar County Land Records, Volume 1426, Pages 618-622)
A 20 foot easement for electricity, gas, and water was installed underneath the hill for thousands of dollars by different companies. (Ref: Bexar County Plat Records, Document Number 195414)
However this water park was abruptly shut down in only a few years due to the death of a 13 year old boy.
Here is what really happened with/to the Super Water Slides. The death of Eric M Hayden is what shut down Super Water Slides.
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)
Super Water Slides was located at 10331 Desert Sands, San Antonio, Texas, US. Which was near the San Antonio International Airport.
the info is partly incorrect. They didn't use bracelets to see who rode first. Instead they used a color system - blue, red, orange, pink, white, yellow, green --- You wore a bracklet and could slide/ride for 45 minutes. When your color LIGHT lit up on a board at the base of the hill - your slide time was over. As I recall, the kid snuck in after the park was closed but the systems were still running.
ReplyDelete10331 Desert Sands is where an apartment complex now sits.
ReplyDeleteMy mom was friends with Eric before his death. The story is a bit inaccurate. She says Eric and his friends snuck into the water park at night when it was closed and the fans were reversed for cleaning resulting in his death. Very sad story, his death still haunts my mom until this day.
ReplyDelete