UPDATE: New Hope Aquatic Park Revises Admission Policy Again Following Incident

New Hope city officials announced further revisions on Monday, July 6, to the admission policy for New Hope Aquatic Park following a disturbance last week between two groups of people near the park’s entrance.

In the update, guests will be allowed to purchase passes after 5 p.m., but if they are under age 18, they must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or “another responsible adult designated by a parent or legal guardian who is 18 years of age or older.”

The accompanying adult must remain at the aquatic park for the duration of the visit.

A previous policy only allowed season pass holders to be admitted after 5 p.m. You can view the newly revised policy here.

What Happened

The incident happened in the evening on Monday, June 29.

CCX News reached out to police for further details of the incident. A city spokesperson provided a press release.

“A verbal confrontation between the groups briefly escalated into a minor physical altercation before being quickly broken up by bystanders,” read the press release.

Park staff contacted New Hope police, who quickly arrived to manage the situation, city officials said.

It’s not precisely known how many individuals were involved or their approximate ages, though those who said they were there that night indicated most were teens. There was no report of any injuries.

The park, which usually closes at 8 p.m. on weekdays, closed 50 minutes early as a precaution. 

Admission Policy Update

Following a review of the incident by both the New Hope Police Department and New Hope Parks and Recreation Department staff, changes were implemented, including assigning additional police officers to the aquatic park during peak periods and making guests aware that all bags entering the park will be subject to inspection for prohibited items.

Effective, July 6, the following announcement was made: 

• Daily admission sale restrictions after 5 p.m. have been discontinued. Guests may purchase daily admission and enter the aquatic park during all regular operating hours.
• Beginning at 5 p.m. each day, guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or another responsible adult designated by a parent or legal guardian who is 18 years of age or older. This requirement applies to both entry and re-entry. The accompanying adult must remain at the aquatic park for the duration of the visit. This policy applies to all guests under age 18, regardless of admission type.

The city said it made the changes “following a review of operations and feedback from the community.”

“The City appreciates the community’s feedback and thanks all guests for their cooperation in helping maintain a safe and enjoyable environment for everyone,” read an updated press statement.

This story was updated to reflect a revised admission policy released on Monday, July 6.

View inside New Hope Aquatic Park/CCX Media

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