Blue Surf Bay Waterpark
A Message from the Director
In May of 2024, the City of Blue Springs proudly opened Blue Surf Bay Waterpark, a state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind aquatics facility that offers a surf simulator, lazy river, splash pads, lap pool and five multi-story water slides that includes a stand-up slide. The waterpark has quickly become a community favorite, and guest attendance rose significantly. Additionally, we named the entire facility the Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex (CRCRC) during a dedication ceremony, prior to opening, to honor our previous Mayor of 16 years, Carson Ross. After a fun and successful first year, we look forward to an even bigger and better second year.
The Parks Department provided an array of activities and events for our residents, including the Red, White & Blue Springs Fourth of July event, where thousands of people gathered to celebrate our nation’s independence.
Justin Stuart Director, Parks & Recreation
In August, we launched Green Up the Blue, our first-ever community-wide clean up event. Turnout exceed expectations with more than 100 community members volunteering to pick up trash throughout the city. In the single event they accumulated more than 300 volunteer hours and collected several truckloads of garbage, showing the value residents place on the City’s parks system.
We installed a new state-of-the art playground at Keystone Park, as well as an ADA path for access from the parking lot. Also, several sections of trails throughout the City were overlaid with new asphalt.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to our parks system, as well as the residents of Blue Springs, as we continue to provide new and fun activities for the entire family. The success we had this past year is just a building block to what our plans are for what we think will be an exciting future.
About Blue Springs Parks & Recreation
The City of Blue Springs, Missouri Parks & Recreation Department has more than 800 acres of parkland (developed and undeveloped) with 14 public parks and over 14 miles of trails. It strives to create outstanding recreational, cultural and natural experiences to enrich and enhance the quality of life for the community today and for future generations.
Blue Springs Parks & Recreation provides comprehensive year-round sports and recreation programs for all ages and operates and maintains the Blue Springs Fieldhouse, offering a wealth of activities, including a fitness center, basketball courts, field turf, fitness classes, pickleball and more. The department also manages Vesper Hall, a nationally accredited Senior Center that offers a variety of activities for individuals ages 50 and older. The facility also hosts many Parks & Recreation classes and community events open to all ages.
The Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex is home to both the Fieldhouse and Blue Surf Bay Waterpark, which opened in May 2024.
Also a part of the department is Adams Pointe Golf Club, an 18-hole public course designed by noted local architect Don Sechrest. It is one of only a handful of ADA compliant golf facilities in the country. Adams Pointe is managed by Orion Management.
Blue Springs Parks & Recreation has been a proud recipient of the annual “Tree City USA” award since 1990. Established by the National Arbor Day Foundation, this honor recognizes select communities for their support of municipal tree betterment programs and projects.
Our Mission
Recognized as an indispensable community asset that creates a healthy, livable and sustainable community through enhanced quality of life for residents and visitors while generating economic vitality.
Our Vision
Creating outstanding recreational, cultural and natural experiences to enrich and enhance the quality of life for our community today and for future generations.
Park Sales Tax
In 2017, Blue Springs residents approved a 1/2-cent sales tax for five years. It was a catalyst to improvements made to the parks. The five-year tax was scheduled to end in 2022, so the department asked voters to approve an extension with no sunset.
In 2021, residents voted overwhelmingly to renew the tax with an 80% yes vote. The renewal allows annual funding to maintain playgrounds, shelters, trails, fields, courts, restrooms and other facilities, including construction of Blue Surf Bay Waterpark.
During the past fiscal year, the department added a brand new, ADA compliant playground at Keystone Park, along with an ADA ramp from the parking lot. Other projects include new windows for the clubhouse at Adams Pointe Golf Course, new solar lights for the parking lot at Burrus Old Mill Park and a new year-round restroom at Ward Park.
The sales tax also provides funding for the development and construction of Southwest Park. This park is located along the north side of Wyatt Road and west of 7 Highway with construction beginning in 2026.
The department’s intention is not to just build new facilities, but to also ensure continued operation and maintenance needs are met.
Keystone Park Playground
Ward Park Restroom
All Youth Sports Programs
4,955 Participants
Adult Softball
Youth Softball
Rec Softball: 154
Comp Softball: 10 teams
Youth Baseball/T-Ball
429 Participants
Boys & Girls
Youth Basketball
Rec Basketball: 977
Comp Basketball:21 teams
Boys & Girls
Flag Football
425 Participants
Boys & Girls
Youth Soccer
1,554 Participants Spring/Fall League
Boys & Girls
Little All-Stars
1,086 Participants
Basketball, Cheerleading, Flag
Football, Soccer, T-Ball
Spring, Summer, Fall
All Adult Sports Programs
Approximately 2,100 Participants
31 Teams
Approx. 250 Participants
Winter, Summer Adult Basketball
31 Teams
62 Participants Spring, Fall Adult Cornhole
110 Teams
220 Participants
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall Adult Pickleball
Adult Softball
128 Teams
Approx. 1,500 Participants
Men’s, Women’s, Coed
Spring, Summer, Fall
BLUE SPRINGS PARKS
Burrus Old Mill Park Splash Pad
Park Maintenance
Over the last fiscal year, the Parks Maintenance Team has worked diligently to provide service in our parks and buildings to our colleagues, residents and visitors of Blue Springs. Our team is responsible for maintaining 14 developed parks, several miles of right of ways and landscaping, and six municipal buildings.
• Over the previous fiscal year, ff the 1,897 work orders assigned to the team, 1,597 were under “Completed” status, 84 percent.
• Preventative Maintenance such as inspections, weekly routines, sanitation, recycling and mowing are priorities throughout the year as they are the items that keep our parks clean and presentable daily.
• The team was assigned a trash route 290 times in the past year, completing 224 of those routes, an 78% completion rate.
• The team completed nine out of nine monthly park safety inspections, with no major faults reported.
• The department works with a contractor that performs once daily cleaning of restroom facilities throughout the parks. The contractor completed 212 out of 214 cleanings for the season, making a huge improvement to the cleanliness of restroom facilities.
• There were 24 scheduled preventative applications in landscape beds, growth regulator applications or playing surface chemical applications. The team completed 22 out of 24 applications.
• Every year the Maintenance Team gets
Park Maintenance
assistance from 160+ volunteers helping us complete tasks throughout the parks. This past spring the department had 60+ volunteers visit four different sites as part of “Love KC Day”. Volunteers helped lay mulch at Baumgardner Park, the grounds at City Hall and playground #3 at Pink Hill Park. They also planted 15+ trees at Woods Chapel Park to help bring a healthy tree canopy and life back to the park after clearing overgrowth and invasive plants around the pond. The team also hosted and participated in the inaugural Green Up the Blue event, bringing 100+ volunteers from the community to clean up parks, waterways and rights-of-ways.
• One challenge the team faced was the installation of an irrigation system at the new Blue Surf Bay Waterpark and surrounding areas. It took approximately six weeks from design to installation. The system was up and running about 10 days ahead of the deadline of sod and landscape plants arriving. The team worked diligently to ensure the grounds and areas of need were addressed before the new waterpark opened. Prior to the grand opening, areas around the facility were landscaped and mulched, new plants were added. Additionally, they assembled furniture, repaired lights, painted and moved workout equipment.
• The team took on the challenge of renovating the tennis courts playing surface at Baumgardner Park. The surface was showing signs of wear and tear with large cracks. These cracks were cut and removed and filled with concrete or proper compound to ensure the court would be safe for play. Green paint was applied by hand. Once dry, the court was retaped and the lines chalked. The entire project took more than 185 man hours to complete.
Blue Surf Bay Waterpark
After four years of planning and 18 months of construction the new Blue Surf Bay Waterpark opened Memorial Day Weekend 2024 in Blue Springs, Mo. Blue Surf Bay Waterpark is a state-of-the-art indoor/outdoor municipal aquatics facility. The waterpark would not have come to fruition without the support of the residents of Blue Springs. Prior to the grand opening, the City hosted a dedication ceremony on Thursday, May 23 and to also rename the facility the Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex.
Leading up to the opening of the waterpark, the Parks Marketing Department helped to create a fun-filled weekend of entertainment, excitement and of course, swimming.
Media coverage from all four television stations, The Examiner and Kansas City Star put not just the waterpark in the spotlight, but all of Blue Springs because of the size and uniqueness of the facility.
Prior to opening the waterpark, the department released its new pricing structure for members, potential members and day pass users. While it was met with some negativity on social media. For the most part, people understood the reasoning behind since visitors get access to the entire facility.
In just a few short months after opening, the waterpark was awarded the Leading Edge Award from the World Waterpark Association during their annual trade show in Las Vegas. Joining the likes of Royal Caribbean, Meryal Waterpark (Qetaifan Island North, Lusail, Qatar) and Premier Parks-Rapids Water Park (West Palm Beach, Fla.), this award recognizes the waterpark’s innovation, creativity and excellence in the development of new themes, facilities and programs within the water attractions industry.
Blue Surf Bay Waterpark
Since Blue Surf Bay Waterpark opened its doors over Memorial Day weekend of 2024, membership numbers to the Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex (CRCRC) for the year have increased by 49 percent from the previous year. In 2023, the CRCRC averaged 1,817 membership units per month while in 2024 it averaged 2,700 per month.
With the opening of Blue Surf Bay, a summer pass was unveiled to community members. This new membership gave patrons access to the entire CRCRC for only the summer months, Memorial Day to Labor Day; perfect for those who only wanted to utilize the outdoor aquatic facility. A total of 296 summer passes were sold.
Visits to the CRCRC from Memorial Day weekend through the end of the calendar year totaled 182,918 (not including day passes), an increase of nearly 78,000 over Memorial Day weekend through December 2024. Day passes have historically been a favorite among the community, and this summer was no different. The CRCRC sold out of day passes 64 out of the 101 operating days. Day passes sold from Memorial Day through December increased by 37 percent from the previous year.
Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex
The Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex (CRCRC) encompasses both the Fieldhouse and the new state-of-the-art Blue Surf Bay Waterpark. After having to pare back some activities due to construction last year, the CRCRC has increased the number of memberships, visits to the facility and Day Passes sold. There are also new offerings for the community that include year-round swim lessons and pool party rentals.
Visits to the CRCRC totaled 244,749 (not including day passes), an increase of 26,474 over the previous fiscal year. This is predominantly due to the drawing power of Blue Surf Bay.
There were 34,223 Day Passes purchased, an increase of 7,099 over last fiscal year. Turf/court rentals totaled 2,826, more than doubling last year’s rentals. The average monthly membership units (individual/family) were 2,265, adding 518 units per month over last year. Memberships include access to both Blue Surf Bay Waterpark indoor/outdoor facility and the Fieldhouse
Swim lessons began on June 22, and instructors taught 1,386 lessons before the end of the fiscal year. There were 215 pool party rentals and two private facility rentals. Our lifeguards are among the best trained in the metro area. They had 200 hours of certification class time and 56 hours of in-service training.
The Child Watch services for kids three months to 10 years old averaged approximately 500 to 600 children per month throughout the year. Toddler Time, a program that allows parents to bring children six month to five years old to play in an indoor, controlled environment throughout the winter months had more than 500 participants over a nine-month period.
Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex
Carson Ross Community Recreation Complex
Adams Pointe Golf Club
Adams Pointe Golf Club, the 18-hole, 6,938 yard, par 72 course is located on the east side of Blue Springs. With more than 44,000 rounds of golf played over the course of the year, the facility earned more than $2.6 million in total revenues, netting a profit of $207,488..
Adams Pointe offers a unique mode of transportation that encourages faster play: the FINN Scooter. These single-rider carts help speed up the pace of play with an average pace of 7.5 minutes per hole. The golf course added eight new scooters for the 2024 season.
Adams Pointe also hosts several golf tournaments and non-golf related events that include dinners, luncheons, meetings and weddings. The Rotary Club holds its weekly meeting at the golf course Throughout the year, the golf course hosted 133 tournaments and events.
Youth programs are vitally important to Adams Pointe in teaching the game of golf to kids. All junior camps sold out, averaging 50 kids per camp over four camps.
Over the course of the year, new motors for the golf course's irrigation system pumps were installed. In July, a driving range renovation was approved and completed in October with range poles extended to 50 feet tall and all netting replaced. The clubhouse got a complete window renovation. Custom-branded trash cans were placed around the clubhouse, two new sand bottle stations were added, and new water/trash stations were added on the golf course.
And finally, Adams Pointe in partnership with Blue Springs Parks & Recreation, created a Little AllStars Golf Program for kids 3 and 4 years old. It's a fiveweek program that teaches the basics of the game. In just its first year, 51 kids registered for the program.
SOCIAL MEDIA
All of the department’s programs, events and activities are promoted through social media among other means. By focusing on shorter posts with more images and video rather than flyers, people are able to see more of a story about each program or event. Additionally, boosted posts help reach a more targeted audience.
In fiscal year, 2023-24, we saw significant growth on all of our social media platforms thanks to the opening of Blue Surf Bay Waterpark over Memorial Day Weekend. Both the number of followers and the reach of social media posts spiked in May and June.
The Parks Facebook is still the department's largest social media platform, pulling in more than 3,000 new followers, a 73 percent increase over the previous fiscal year. We are still gaining followers on all other platforms. In addition to the waterpark opening, these gains interactions can be tied to the relevant and timely information the department puts out about programs and events which are of a huge interest to the public.
PARKS & RECREATION
PARKS & RECREATION
CRCRC
Youth Baseball Youth Soccer Youth Sports
Blue Springs Parks & Recreation youth sports programs have continued to grow over the last several years.
With offerings of basketball, soccer, softball, baseball and flag football, youth sports has seen a jump in participation. There was a total of 3,949 kids across all youth sports in 2023-24, compared to 3,518 in 2022-23, an increase of 12 percent.
The objective for Blue Springs Parks & Recreation’s youth sports programs is for all participants, both parents and children, to have an enjoyable sporting experience.
Skill development is the main component of our youth sports programs. Non-competitive games are a part of every season in which each player receives an equal amount of playing time and opportunity. At this level, it is not about winning. Learning the fundamentals of the game, making friends and having fun are the goals we set for our programs.
To better communicate with parents, coaches and participants, the department created a Youth Sports Handbook.
Youth Softball
Youth Sports
Youth Flag Football
Youth Basketball
Little All-Stars T-Ball
Little All-Stars
Blue Springs Parks & Recreation’s Little All-Stars program includes Basketball, Cheerleading, Flag Football, Soccer, T-Ball and Golf which was introduced last year in a partnership with Adams Pointe Golf Course.
These five-week programs are designed to introduce the fundamentals of sports in an all-inclusive environment for children ages three and four years old. Participants are assigned to a team of no more than 10 players and led by volunteer parent coaches.
Little All-Stars Soccer
The program is divided between three weeks of learning skills and rotating through drill stations that teach the very basics of the sport, and the remaining two weeks consisting of game play. This program is designed to prepare the players for future league play. Children enjoy snacks at the end of each night and receive a medal at the completion of the program!
The Little All-Stars program had 1,024 participants in Basketball, Cheerleading, Flag Football, Golf, Soccer and T-Ball for the fiscal year, slightly less than the 1,076 the previous year. Of those activities, soccer and t-ball continue to be the two largest.
Adult Sports
Pickleball
Adult Basketball
Blue Springs Parks & Recreation's Adult Sports programs include basketball, cornhole, pickleball and softball. Softball continues to be the dominant activity with pickleball and basketball improving their numbers.
The total number of adult participants over the past fiscal year in the sports programs was more than 2,000. Numbers for the pickleball leagues and tournaments remain steady as it continues to be the fastest growing activity for adults in the United States. Many adults come to the Fieldhouse to play pickleball as well as the dedicated outdoor pickleball courts.
Numbers for basketball (250 participants) and softball (1,500 participants) also continue to remain stable.
The parks department offers an Active Older Adults program for adults 50 and older. This includes nearly 500 Silver Sneakers and more than 400 Renew Active participants
Additionally, fitness classes for seniors average nearly 900 per month. This improves seniors’ physical mobility, mental health and socialization. Programs are provided free of charge for qualified participants.
Events & Programs
Blue Springs Parks & Recreation continues to bring first-class events to its residents and visitors.
This includes everything from large events like the Easter Egg-Stravaganza, Red, White & Blue Springs, and Spooky Springs to slightly smaller events and programs like the Daddy/ Daughter Dance, Fishing Derby and Cosmic Bingo.
In offering these family-oriented events each year, the department provides a service that goes beyond our “parks & recreation” moniker.
Because of the continued success, the variety and the convenience, there has been significant growth in attendance for each of these events from the previous year.
Concerts in the Park
Fishing Derby
Red, White & Blue Springs
Summer Day Camp
The Blue Springs Summer Day Camp mission is to help each camper discover new skills while building a community that values each child.
The core values are honesty, respect, kindness, community, personal growth, quality relationships and fun. Following these values helps create a safe, fun and stimulating atmosphere for campers.
Activities for campers include games, field trips and playing at Blue Surf Bay Waterpark. It's a great way for kids to stat active throughout the summer while make new friendships and long-lasting memories.
Over the past three years, the total number of campers have increased with the largest group in 2024 of 1,661 kids, an increase of 117 over 2023.
Vesper Hall
Vesper Hall hosts several events throughout the year, including holiday and themed luncheons, fitness classes, dances, bingo, arts and crafts, and other fun activities for seniors. More than 200 people attended each of the Thanksgiving and Christmas lunches during the past fiscal year. Additionally, more than 18,000 congregate meals were served, an increase from 15,963 over the past year, or 14 percent. Also, there were 10,025 home-delivered meals, down from 13,624 last year, or a 26 percent decrease.
Other activities at Vesper Hall include bingo; cards and games; arts and crafts; fitness; dancing and entertainment; support groups, health checks and education. There were 19,809 participants combined for all of those activities, making Vesper Hall a vibrant community center.
Volunteers
Blue Springs is a great place to live, work and play! Our community’s success is built upon its ability to remain connected and to help one another. There are many ways of getting involved by volunteering.
With all of the events Blue Springs Parks & Recreation offer each year, there are many opportunities to assist as a volunteer. Additionally, our youth sports programs are always in need of coaches that can help guide kids through a fun and rewarding experience.
Volunteer opportunities might include planting trees or flowers, spreading mulch at playgrounds, certain events and programs, or coaching.
This past year, 1,286 volunteers worked more than 11,000 hours for events like the Easter EggStravaganza; Red, White & Blue Springs; Spooky Springs; Green Up the Blue; and various events at Vesper Hall.
Management Staff & Park Commission
Justin Stuart
Parks & Recreation Director
Mary Herrington
Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation
Matthew Asikainen
Superintendent of Fieldhouse and Aquatics
Derek Mayden
Buildings & Grounds Superintendent
Steve Moore
Park Maintenance Supervisor
Chase Coffee Manager of Aquatics
www.bluespringsgov.com/parks
2023-24 Park Commissioners
Keith Hannaman Chair
Nick Brummel Vice Chair
Brittany Boswell Member
Debbie Canfield Member
Ken Horrell Member
Tara Johnson Member
Tony Lopez Member
Brian Markworth Member
Nick Tepesch Member
Jerry Kaylor City Council Liaison
The Park Commission is responsible for guiding the operations and growth of the Parks & Recreation Department, making recommendations on the acquisition of land to be used for park sites, and the supervision, improvement, care and custody of city parks to the Mayor and City Council.
