This new KC area water park restricts visitors by ZIP code. Here’s when you can go
If you were hoping to visit the new Blue Surf Bay Waterpark in Blue Springs to beat the heat this weekend, you may get turned away.
That’s both due to high recent demand, and because the attraction only admits visitors from outside of Blue Springs’ ZIP codes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“Over the first three weeks of operation, we have indeed reached our day pass limit on several occasions,” city spokesperson Brian D. Spano told The Star via email. “To adhere to safety regulations and ensure a comfortable environment for all patrons, we have had to turn away individuals once we reached our maximum capacity.”
The newly built indoor/outdoor water park features water slides, a lazy river, a hot tub, a wave simulator, and several pools for swimming and relaxing. But access on most days is limited to those who live in the seven Blue Springs ZIP codes: 64015, 64014, 64013, 64029, 64064, 64086 or 64057.
The information is listed on the landing page for Blue Springs’ Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex, which the water park is a part of. But some potential visitors have missed the ZIP code restrictions, which aren’t restated on the water park’s own webpage.
One local resident took to social media to lament being turned away Wednesday, telling one commenter that her children were disappointed. She ended up at her local public pool instead.
“At least we’re out of the house,” she wrote in her short video.
It’s not uncommon for public recreation facilities to charge different day pass rates to local and non-local visitors. That’s often because these amenities are built using funding from local property taxes.
But while prices can vary at many public pools and other facilities, it’s rare for an attraction to be off limits to nonresidents five days per week. The complex’s website also notes that members are only allowed to bring out-of-town guests to the facilities on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
In order to determine where visitors live, Spano added that two forms of address verification are required. These can take the form of a recent bill, a copy of your lease or a bank statement, as well as your ID.
“We understand that being turned away can be disappointing, and we are continuously monitoring attendance and feedback to make any necessary adjustments,” he told The Star.
Do you have more questions about access to public facilities in Kansas City? Ask the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com.
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