The Town of Chesapeake Beach is committed to providing quality recreational facilities for our residents and visitors. As part of this commitment, we want to update the community on the status and future plans for our beloved water park.
New Updates!
After a thorough assessment of the facility’s condition, it is clear that extensive renovations are necessary to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all. While we originally hoped to reopen the water park for the 2025 season, the current state of the park requires significant upgrades that cannot be completed in time. Delaying the opening will allow us to ensure these upgrades are done properly, while also providing staff and contractors with the necessary time to complete the work.
This delay will also help minimize the challenges associated with construction during inclement weather months, while proactively addressing critical infrastructure issues to extend the life of the facility and avoid costly repairs down the road.
Mayor Wahl shared his perspective on the decision at the last Town Council meeting “When I took office and gained access to the water park’s actual condition, it was evident that reopening in 2025 would not be feasible. Instead of rushing a short-term fix, we are taking time to do it right, ensuring the park is better than ever when it reopens in 2026.”
Throughout 2025, the town will focus on a comprehensive renovation plan that will address critical infrastructure needs and introduce key improvements, including:
Facility Upgrades: Enhancements to the park’s operational systems to improve efficiency and reliability.
Modernized Amenities: Exciting new water features and slides, renovated restrooms and shower facilities, and heating solutions for the main building to allow for year-round use as office space.
Careful Oversight: Town staff will manage the project, with consultants and contractors brought in as needed to ensure a high-quality renovation.
While we understand the anticipation for the park’s return, we are excited about the opportunity to create a revitalized and modernized water park that will serve our community for many years to come.
To read the updated geotechnical report provided to the Town, click here.
We appreciate your patience and support as we work diligently toward a grand reopening in 2026. Stay tuned for updates as we embark on this exciting project to bring the water park back — better than ever!
Ongoing Improvements Underway
The Town of Chesapeake Beach owns and operates the Chesapeake Beach Water Park – the only municipally owned Water Park in Maryland. The Park has operated within its current location at the center of the Town for 29 years, well more than its 25-year useful life.
Due to the current site conditions, repairs and reconfiguration are required at the Park, resulting in its closure for the 2024 season. While the decision to close the Park for this season was challenging, it is necessary to provide a safe recreational amenity for staff employment and to benefit all Town citizens.
The Park is built on a tidal wetland creating dynamic conditions. While a majority of the Park is on pilings to provide stability to these dynamic conditions, there are also large areas that are not on pilings.
This condition has created a situation where portions of the Park are sinking substantially, resulting in cracking and disconnecting of mechanical support systems that operate the pools. These necessary systems are within confined spaces that are unstable and unsafe for staff to enter altering the Towns ability to continue operations within the Parks current configuration.
Looking Forward:
Town Council and Town staff are committed to providing swift and efficient solutions to restore this longstanding and loved recreational amenity. The intent is to construct the Park within the existing pilings for the support necessary for a improved asset that will last the Town another 25 years. To make these necessary capital improvements we are currently in the planning stages incorporating community members feedback.
Our first step in this process was to seek a design / build firm to take on the entire project from start to finish; however, the Town received zero interest from design / build firms due to the current site conditions and unknowns related to the project.
In response to this, the Town Council authorized the expenditure to complete additional surveying and geo-technical studies and to complete a comprehensive feasibility study, designed to determine the associated costs for improved pool elements based on the site’s conditions and to further investigate the site to document conditions.
View the Quick Facts related to the Park and the improvement process currently underway below.
Who is primarily funding the operation of the Chesapeake Beach Water Park? Over the last twenty-nine years, the Chesapeake Beach Water Park has mainly been a tourist attraction; however, Town taxpayer resources have funded the operation. The need to rebuild the park is an opportunity to rethink the recreational amenity and its purpose to ensure it meets the needs of town taxpayers, including all residents.
How does the Town engage the public through this process? The Town of Chesapeake Beach conducted a community opinion survey from July to August 2023. Through the survey, in which 1,869 participants provided input, town residents expressed their strong desire to utilize the park as a community amenity that is accessible and safe. Additionally, Town residents communicated disapproval of funding the cost of out-of-town residents’ use of the park.
What is the Town doing now to Improve Recreational Assets? Due to the aging infrastructure of the (29) twenty-nine-year-old park that has exceeded its useful life within very dynamic site conditions, the Town Council is currently conducting a feasibility study to accomplish two primary goals. First, to determine the associated costs for improved pool elements based on the site’s conditions and the pool elements Town citizens desire. Second, to complete further site investigation, including surveying and geo-technical studies, to provide the information necessary to complete the improvements as approved and funded by the Town Council. See Table 1 for additional information on the process.
Under a new design, how will the Town support local businesses? Town residents provide a year-round base of customers for our Town businesses. Maintaining recreational amenities for Town citizens at the center of the Town will continue this support. The Town is seeking new ways to partner with local businesses at Town recreational amenities. It is open to ideas from our local businesses and welcomes further engagement.
How is the Town continuing to employ seasonal staff at the Water Park? The Town has engaged all seasonal employees interested in returning to work for the 2024 season. All seasonal staff willing to return in the 2024 season received engagement from the Town with opportunities to work in a recreational capacity for the Town. These opportunities include increased programs at Kellam’s field, town event staff, recreational kayak offerings for residents, and staffing at Bayfront Park. Of the recreational staff offered positions for the 2024 season, over 95% are returning seasonal employees. All seasonal employees of the Town interested in returning to work have been offered a role with the Town of Chesapeake Beach! Thank you to our valued Town staff for your dedication and loyalty to serve Town citizens.
| Step # | Process | Status | Details |
| Step 1 | Design / Build (D/B) Request for Proposal (RFP) | Complete, Lack of Interest by Contractors Due to Unknown Risk | The Town released a Design / Build (D/B) RFP in January of 2024. The RFP was posted on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage, in print media, on the Town website and sent to over 150 contractors nationwide. The Town held a mandatory pre-bid meeting where eight (8) firms were present. The Town issued clarifications as Amendment #1 to the RFP; however, the Town received ‘0’ proposals. All firms were contacted for feedback as to why they did not bid on the project. The responses included; 1) an increased risk to the Design / Build (D/B) firm related to soil conditions and existing piles. 2) The bidders felt that the timeline was unrealistic taking into consideration the length of time required for permitting with the condensed project schedule increasing the costs of the significantly, and 3) A lack of clarity on the final pool element design and budget. The bidders requested that the Town consider starting with a feasibility study to provide the information necessary to bid on the project. |
| Step 2 | Feasibility Study & Geo-technical Work | Town Council to review at the work session September 10, 2024, Town Council contracted Emerald Fx and Hillis-Carnes Engineering for this work | The Town will conduct a feasibility study through a team of design of experts to propose 2-3 design concepts considering the conditions of the site. The Town Council approved $25,000 in expenditures to conduct geo-technical studies to further identify the current conditions of the park to provide clarity on improvements moving forward. |
| Step 3 | Designs Finalized, Funding Considerations, Construction Drawings for Permitting | Expected in the 2nd Quarter of 2025 | At this phase, the design plans will be finalized upon review of the feasibility of the swimming elements, with further funding considerations reviewed by the Town Council in an open public meeting forum. |
| Step 4 | Permitting | Expected in the 3rd Quarter of 2025 | Permitting process for construction of improvements. The Town will be required to obtain a permits from local, county, and state regulating agencies based on the final design plan approved by the Town Council. |
| Step 5 | Request for Proposal (RFP) to construct the Park | Expected in the 3rd Quarter of 2025 | A RFP will be released to construct the Park as approved by the Town Council. |
| Step 6 | Award RFP | Estimate 3rd or 4th Quarter 2025 | RFP Awarded, funding allocated by the Town Council for the work necessary to construct the capital improvements. |
| Step 7 | Building Phase | Pending Information | With approved permits and funding in place as allocated by the Town Council, work will begin to construct the new facility, with updates made available to the public on the timeline. |
| Step 8 | The New Facility Opens to the Community | Pending Schedule from Successful Bidder | The new facility opens under a Town Council-approved budget for operations with public input provided during the budgeting process. |
