HAVE A BASH WHILE YOU SPLASH. New additions to Eau Claire’s Chaos Water Park will include interactive slides, dump buckets, spray and squirt guns, and more.

Floating down the mighty Chippewa River is no longer an option. Summer is long behind us, and brutal winter days are drawing near. For those of us who aren’t keen on winter sports, outdoor activities are a loss. But never fear, local entertainment is here! The Metropolis Resort is opening its newly renovated Aquatic Playground, a branch of Chaos Water Park. The opening is scheduled within the month, bringing additional outdoor water fun to the warm indoors. Come see the resort’s newfangled slides, playground accessories, and fresh updates as they kick off the season.

The playground got much more than a fresh coat of paint. Visitors can expect an upgraded locker room, safer stairs, interactive slides, dump buckets, spray and squirt guns, and a featured kiddie play area. According to Benny Anderson, Metropolis Resort’s general manager, the Aquatic Playground addition is “good clean fun!”

After eight years of water park fun, it was time try something new. The resort opened in 2009, just as the economy was collapsing. “We were one of the only businesses crazy enough to start up during that time,” Anderson said. The business overcame a lot of obstacles, including a waterslide company that went out of business just as they handed over $50,000 for equipment. No matter the struggles the resort faced during its start-up, they powered through.

Now that Metropolis is well-established, it was time for some upgrades. The renovations stretched over the entire Chaos Water Park.

“The Aquatic Playground is definitely the highlight of the park’s upgrades,” Anderson said. “It’s a good-looking park, and we are proud of it. We are finally at the stage where the resort is ahead of the game!”

The water park lowered its prices, and it now offers promotions and kooky events. Promotions include $8 Thursdays, student discounts, armed forces discounts, and more. Passes are available for Chaos Water Park for $30 as a fundraising effort for local schools and organizations. The pass includes a pizza buffet, and the resort also donates $7 from the proceeds.

Events at the resort extend beyond the realm of the water park. On Dec. 1, the resort hosts Horrible Night Out. This nutty event purposely promotes awful service, sarcasm, and laughter. Other events include a Ladies Night, Deer Hunters Weekend, sprinkler parties, and a North Pole Experience.

“We like to have fun differently,” Anderson said. “We are crazy and out there, but we are also doing this for a good cause, not just to benefit our business, but the community as well.” The Metropolis welcomes weddings, business meetings, and birthdays. “This business is resort-wide, and there’s no age we don’t work with,” he said.

“We are proud to be in Eau Claire,” he continued. “We keep kids local, offer events to keep them out of trouble, and allow them to have fun with friends and family.”

Visit Metropolis Resort’s website metropolisresort.com for more information.