Birch Bay Waterslides plans June reopening; mandatory inspection pending
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Birch Bay Waterslides plans June reopening despite not having an operating permit.
- Permit issuance hinges on re-inspection requested by park operators.
- Water park faces ongoing lawsuit over 2023 injury; repairs and upgrades underway.
The operators of Birch Bay Waterslides have announced plans to reopen in less than two weeks despite lacking an operating permit for the park as of June 3.
The water park closed its doors almost two years ago after a visitor was severely injured on one of the park’s waterslides, resulting in a lawsuit against the business.
Birch Bay Waterslides did not respond to a request for information from The Bellingham Herald before publication. However, the business’ website indicates operators have made several improvements to the park to ensure “guest safety throughout the summer.”
The water park has been advertising advance 2025 ticket sales for months as part of its 40th anniversary season celebration. Operators also announced significant park upgrades, a partnership with a pizza business and a new ride coming online this season.
Improvements include:
▪ Slide fiberglass refurbishment and repainting.
▪ Welding and structural upgrades.
▪ Facility renovations of locker rooms, the concession stand and the exterior of the main building.
Before the business can reopen, the park is required to obtain an operating permit, something that will only be issued after the park requests and passes a re-inspection from Whatcom County Health and Community Services (WCHCS).
WCHCS confirmed to The Herald on Thursday that the water park had put in a request to schedule a re-inspection, although it was not immediately clear when one would be conducted.
Larry Baker was injured at Birch Bay Waterslides on Aug. 25, 2023, when his legs went through the side of the Hairpin, one of the four main slides at the water park in Blaine.
Baker, who was 43 at the time of the injury, filed a civil tort lawsuit against the park owners on May 9, 2024. The original lawsuit stated that Baker “slid over a damaged or defective section, causing severe injury and other damages” and accused the park’s owners of negligence, stating that they had a duty to “keep the common areas of its property safe and properly maintained for the benefit of the customers.”
The owners of Birch Bay Waterslides denied any wrongdoing, saying that Baker acknowledged and accepted the risk of “severe physical injury” when entering the park. A formal request made by the water park owners to dismiss the lawsuit was denied at a court hearing in late 2024.
At the same hearing, a judge granted the injured party an allowance to add three more parties to the lawsuit, including Whatcom County Health and Community Services, Safe Slide Restoration, and Kingworks Consulting Engineers. Baker’s lawyers for say the added parties were “directly involved in the inspection, maintenance, and repairs of the waterslide equipment at the water park,” according to court documents.
The lawsuit has yet to reach a conclusion.
Editor’s Note (June 5): This article was updated to reflect that the water park requested a re-inspection since the article’s initial publication.
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
