Quassy Amusement and Waterpark President Eric Anderson told the media Saturday the park will more than double the number of water slides at Splash Away Bay over the next several seasons, and other park improvements will include a two-story candy shop featuring an antique taffy-pulling machine. The eight new slides will be a group of five smaller slides for younger children and three giant slides with a combined length of more than 1,000 feet for older children.
“We’re excited about further expanding the waterpark as it has become a venerable part of the guest experience here at Quassy,” Anderson said of the project.
In addition to the candy shop, Quassy will build a beach snack building and will replace some of the amusement area rides. An estimated $6 million will be reinvested into the historic lakeside park over the next five years.
The first phase of the expansion is targeted to open in 2016 when Slide City, the group of five slides, will open adjacent to the Saturation Station. Four of the slides will end in shallow troughs while a fifth will send riders gently along the wall of a circular-shaped landing prior to exiting.
The larger slides, which will open in 2017, will be in an area now occupied by picnic tables on the north side of the property.
The existing popcorn concession near the Grand Carousel will be razed to make way for a new candy shop featuring a taffy manufacturing operation from yesteryear.
“We have purchased a taffy puller (machine) and wrapping machine that will not only provide great candy, but are also entertaining to watch,” said George Frantzis II, a park owner. “The wrapping machine dates back to around 1915 and has been completely restored by an industry expert.”
“This will be the same type of operation you see at many boardwalk locations that have produced taffy for years,” he added. “Guests will be able to mix flavors into a take-home package, and we are also planning to do online sales.”
The new lakefront structure, Splash Away Bay Café and Deck, will provide a place for guests at Quassy Beach and the waterpark to purchase food and beverages without leaving the waterpark. The café will feature rooftop seating on a deck overlooking Lake Quassapaug.
Andrew Peklo III of Woodbury, Conn., who already created a new ticket booth and group sales/season pass building at the park in a style reminiscent of Quassy’s “trolley park” heritage, also designed the candy shop and lakefront café.
