White Water University
White Water University Water Park
5494 E. University Ave., Pleasant Hill, Iowa 50327
The Rise and Fall of
Des Moines’ premier water park
What was once a thriving water park is now is just a fond remembrance of days gone by. White Water University water park has been closed since 2005, and the property is now completely razed. Although it was still standing in the beginning of 2018, talk ceased about re-opening. As it sat for years, it was a prime example of urban and industrial decay. For many years the slides, pools, mini golf and go carts slipped into ruin and decay. With the rising popularity of aquatic centers, there will be more abandoned water parks.
Below are some White Water University Water Park photos by Abandoned Iowa on facebook: 2016. Thank you Abandoned Iowa for graciously allowing me to showcase the photos.
The park first opened in 1980 as Smith’s Super Shoot. It was developed into a destination water park attraction a few years later and given the name White Water University. Many new features were added including Des Moines’ first wave pool and lazy river.
White Water University Water Park still has an old facebook page. Click below to see some retro photos
The advertisement was inviting
“Enjoy White Water University water park with wave pool, tubing rides, water slides, lazy river, children’s play pool, and hot tub. Play 18 holes of California-style golf and ride Iowa’s only twin-engine go-carts. Visit the ultimate haunted house at Halloween.”
During the last year of operation in 2005, Whitewater brought in 120,000 customers. First the water park closed, but the mini golf and go carts were open. A haunted house was added for the Halloween season that did very well. Eventually the mini golf and go carts shutdown also. Due to failing to comply with safety regulations including sprinklers and other safety improvements, the haunted house closed after the last season in 2013. Mr. Smith cited the safety renovations as cost-prohibitive for his small business, so he decided to shut down.
Thus the park was permanently closed.
The land was listed by Black Acre Reality – citing these property details
- Call for pricing
- 5.840 acres
- Great Redevelopment site for Retail and/or Office uses
- Site sits Directly West of Brand new Fareway Store and Caseys General Store
- Great visibility form East university
- Easy accessibility to Highway 65
- 82,000 people live within a 5 mile Radius
White Water University Water Park is missed by so many with fond memories of carefree summers in the sun.
Aerial photos of the water park abandoned in 2016: abandonedexplorers.com ©
February 2018 Demolition begins
The Des Moines Register reported that Jake Christensen, President of Christensen Development had purchased the property. To make way for an apartment building, restaurants, retail offices and potentially a hotel, the park would be razed. Work on the demolition got under way February 2018.
By the beginning of March, 2018 most of the park was demolished..
January 2021
A new Burger King has opened and it sits on the top portion of the land facing University. Over the old blue waterslide approximately. This is the only construction on the site.
Photos 2016: by Abandoned Iowa on facebook.
All aerial photos of the water park by: abandonedexplorers.com ©
Post 2016 photos by abandonedexplorers.com ©
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My Youtube Channel features the a video of the waterpark
All photos below 2016: by Abandoned Iowa on facebook.
All photos below : by Abandoned Explorers©
Thanks for this post. I went looking for information when I was going to post a Throwback Thursday about their Ultimate Haunted House. Nice read. The last time I checked sat images a few years ago, it was all still there. Now I see the Burger King 🙂