Copyright dailyrecord
Stunning images reveal an abandoned waterpark which was a popular destination for more than four decades, which has now become a canvas for graffiti artists. Photos shared on Reddit capture the remnants of the once-popular attraction that entertained visitors for over 40 years before finally shutting its doors in 2004. The striking pictures depict nearly every surface of the park, including the ground, walls, steps, and elevated canopies, adorned with graffiti. The images portray the entrance to the waterpark, with slides leading to what were once pools now left dry, as well as the remains of huts, former water tanks, and pipes. It's clear to see where water once flowed, now left bone-dry under the desert sun. Vibrant billboards still line the road leading to the waterpark, according to a report by Business Insider . Lake Dolores Waterpark, in the Mojave Desert, California, was established by local entrepreneur Bob Byers in 1962. It boasted man-made lakes, slides, bumper boats, a zip line, and other thrilling attractions. Byers closed the site in the 1980s, but it underwent a revamp and reopened in 1998 as the 1950s-themed Rock-A-Hoola Waterpark, according to Business Insider . However, tragedy struck in 1999 when an employee was paralysed after using a slide outside of operating hours, reports the Daily Star . The legal settlement cost the park $4.4 million, Business Insider reported, leading to bankruptcy the following year. It made a brief comeback as Discovery Waterpark in 2002, only to close permanently two years later. In 2020, proposals were unveiled to transform the site into a "roadside playground", and in 2021, the location was listed for $11 million. Plans have reportedly since been greenlit to revitalise it with a 22-acre lake, water park, and RV park. However, there has been no evidence of work commencing since then. Numerous Reddit users suggested that the derelict waterpark would be an ideal spot for skateboarding. One user commented: "First image looks like something out of a Tony Hawk game." Another responded: "People do skate here pretty frequently to my knowledge." A third user reminisced: "Had some great memories coming up as a teen. We'd be heading to or from Vegas and would stop, skate, chill and meet some interesting people." Another user revealed: "How cool. I actually spray painted those black triangles on the awning in the first picture. "I worked art department for a drone commercial that was filmed out there. They needed all profanity/religious symbols/anything generally inappropriate to be spray painted over, so I had to trek the whole park looking for things to spray paint over. It was pretty fun." Others pondered the implications of using water in a desert environment. One user mused: "In a few decades when the world's major powers are fighting deadly wars over water resources, future generations will look back at places like this with amazement/disgust. I guess some already do." Another responded: "At least most of the water is pumped back into the system in a water park. Let's talk about sprawling golf courses in the desert." A different commenter penned: "I actually went to this water park when it was open. Also was stationed nearby."
