Dublin water slide that caused accident to reopen at The Wave water park

Bay City News
Friday, May 25, 2018
Dublin water slide that threw boy to reopen
The City of Dublin's recreation and aquatic complex, The Wave, will reopen to the public for Memorial Day weekend. One of its biggest attractions, that was the scene of a terrifying accident last summer, will also be open.

DUBLIN, Calif. -- The City of Dublin's recreation and aquatic complex, The Wave, will reopen to the public for Memorial Day weekend. One of its biggest attractions, that was the scene of a terrifying accident last summer, will also be open.

The 48-foot-high Emerald Plunge slide was closed in 2017 when a boy was injured on it, city officials said. ABC7 has video of the 10-year-old violently careening off the slide. Miraculously, the boy wasn't seriously injured.

RELATED: Inspectors at Dublin water park after boy flew off slide

The slide will reopen for Memorial Day weekend after about a year of testing following the May 27 accident.

The City of Dublin operates the park. City Spokeswoman Shari Jackman said the slide is safe as long as riders meet the height and weight requirements. Riders must be a minimum of 48 inches tall and 45 pounds, and no more than 76 inches tall and 300 pounds.

In 2017 the family of the boy filed a lawsuit against the city over the injuries, which were not life-threatening. The family settled with the manufacturer, which took full responsibility in the case, Jackman said.

RELATED: Lawsuit filed after boy injured on waterslide in Dublin

Officials with the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health said they have "re-certified the slide for operation with revised settings." The initial settings by the manufacturer were such that riders of certain heights and weights could be lifted out of the slide at the transition to the run-out, which is where the boy fell out, Jackman said. The settings for water flow and water height have since been adjusted.

The Emerald Plunge and another slide called the Dublin Screamer, which was also closed after the boy was injured, will be operating when the park opens for Memorial Day weekend. After Memorial Day, the park will be open daily beginning June 2.

ABC7 News contributed to this report.