Surfside Water Park sat in decay for years, a grim reminder of summers past.
In the early 90s, the Auburn City Council approved plans for the construction of a water park on College Street.
In the spring of 1995, Surfside opened its doors for the first time. For several years it remained a popular tourist destination. However, after several bad seasons, the park closed on Sept. 15, 2011.
Some Auburn residents have opposed the park’s stagnant existence.
John Varner, who has lived in Auburn since 1977, has voiced his opinions on Surfside in articles on both al.com and the Opelika-Auburn News.
“It’s a public nuisance, and it’s an eyesore,” Varner said.
After original owner Tom Hayley was prompted to sell the property, Tom Sparrow, owner of the Auburn RV Park, decided to purchase the premises.
“I was tired of seeing the property in decline, and I wanted to do something about it,” Sparrow said.
With the help of his construction crew, Sparrow has worked tirelessly to keep up the property. After building a large fence to deter vandalism that had occurred in the past, Sparrow began working on cleaning up problem areas within the park.
“The grass was about waist high before we went through and cleared everything up,” Sparrow said. Sparrow said he plans to redevelop the property, but he has not fully ruled out reopening the park.
“We are considering all options at this point,” Sparrow said.
Though the park has failed previously, there is still plenty of interest in the attraction, according to Sparrow.
“We get families that drive up from Birmingham and other places dressed in bathing suits looking for Surfside," Sparrow said.
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