When Rolling Hills Water Park in Ypsilanti Township opens for the first unofficial weekend of summer this Saturday, visitors will be greeted by brand-new facilities and a three-story water slide.
Since the park closed last Labor Day, about $4.5 million in upgrade work has progressed rapidly.
The former bath houses and entryway have been completely torn out and replaced with new buildings, and the parking lot has been expanded from 250 spaces to 450 spaces.
Rolling Hills Water Park is known for its wave pool, lazy river, “Slide Mountain” water slides and a splash pad. It’s a part of the greater 365-acre Rolling Hills County Park at 7660 Stony Creek Road.
A three-story waterslide named “Plunge Peak” has been added at the rear of the park that has three different slides. There’s a possibility for a fourth slide to be added in the future.
The entry gates to the park have been shifted so that the new focal point of the park is the wave pool.
The park’s administrative offices have been moved to the water park facility from the lodge at Rolling Hills, and are housed in the main building where visitors purchase admission to the park.
New bath houses have separate showers, changing stalls and coin-operated lockers. Family changing rooms are also a part of the facility.
A number of sustainable features are a part of the design of the new bath houses, including numerous windows near the roof line of building that allows natural light to stream in to the locker room area.
The sinks and toilets are all equipped with infared sensors to make the facility more water efficient, said Jeff Dehring, principal planner for the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission.
Water from the sinks and the showers in the building is re-processed in an in-site facility for use in the toilets in the bath house. The gray water system was installed as a water conservation measure, Dehring said.
The expansion of the bath house and the upgrades to the park has increased the park’s capacity by 400 people, Dehring said.
More outdoor amenities have been added to the park, including coin-operated lockers and outdoor showers.
The northern boundary of the park has been expanded outward to create more grassy lawn space for visitors to sit and enjoy the sun.
Construction on the $4.5 million park is being done by Sorenson Gross Construction Services of Flint. The project is funded through the county's parks millage.
Admission rates to Rolling Hills Water Park have been raised by $1 this year, and been increased by 50 cents for weekdays after 5 p.m.
Rates are now set as follows:
- Weekdays: $7 for residents and $9 for non-residents
- Weekdays after 5 p.m.: $4.50 for residents and $5.50 for non-residents
- Weekends and holidays: $8 for residents and $10 for non-residents
The park will open the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Saturday also marks the grand opening of a brand-new water park that's been under construction for the past two years.
The $4 million Blue Heron Bay splash park at Independence Lake County Park at 3200 Jennings Road in Webster Township will open to the public Saturday.
The park features a new splash pad with separate areas and special water features for toddlers, families and tweens, as well as a two-story water slide.
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.