A famed water park in Northern California has closed its doors this summer.
CaliBunga, also known as Raging Waters, in San Jose’s Lake Cunningham Regional Park has closed indefinitely, the city announced in a statement on June 11.
The City of San Jose announced that operations at the longtime attraction were temporarily suspended, with plans to transform the Lake Cunningham Regional Park into a modern water park.
The reimagined water park will have additional aquatic amenities and “innovative interactive play areas” for visitors of all ages, the city said.
The park has served for more than 40 years and has been the go-to destination for locals to cool off every summer, Mayor Matt Mahan said in the statement.
“Despite a temporary closure, our commitment is to keep this park active now and build an aquatic destination worthy of the next generation,” he added.
City authorities have selected Lakeside Partners as the proposer for the new project.
The new developers will continue working on plans and enhancements required for the park to open within the next few years.
Officials did not announce when the new water park is expected to open.
One of Northern California’s largest water parks, Raging Waters was a favorite summer destination for families living in the Bay Area.
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First opened in 1985, the water park spans 23 acres and features 14 water slides, a 350,000-gallon wave pool, an “endless” river, and other attractions, according to The Mercury News report.
In summer 2023, the former owners of Raging Waters announced the park would not reopen in 2024 as they had decided to terminate their lease due to low visitor numbers, according to the report.
However, the park reopened in 2024 under a new name, CaliBunga, and with new owners.
Summer Activations at Lake Cunningham
While the water park will stay temporarily closed, parts of Lake Cunningham Regional Park will stay operational, according to the city.
The Action Sports Park will remain open and will host several community events and activities throughout the summer.
Officials said the programming was required to keep Lake Cunningham Regional Park active as a gathering place while work continues in the other parts.
Some of the activities and events planned for this summer include:
- Agua Fiesta (Water Fun Days)
- Circus Bella
- Live Concert Series
- Kids’ Maker Events
- Skate Punk Shows
- BMX Movie Nights
- Summer Swim at Overfelt, Mt. Pleasant, and Silver Creek high schools
Acknowledging the disappointment that residents may feel about CaliBunga’s closure, Councilmember Domingo Candelas said he was excited to see what lies ahead for the water park.
“As someone who grew up spending summers at the Water Park, I know how much this place means to our community,” Candelas said.
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