Sitges Aquatic Paradise

Although the once lavish Aquatic Paradise water park now stands decrepit and unpopulated, it continues to attract visitors - but these visitors come for something other than water slides.

During the early 1990s, the massive park opened to the delight of families and children, eager to race each other down the many slides into the pools. While the fun continued for two years, a tragic accident and massive debt forced the closure of the park.

As the pools dried up and the slides fell into disrepair, a new era of the park began. Even with the decaying conditions, a number of entrances were left open and the park slowly became populated again. Skaters tore across the shallow pools and up the steeped walls while a band, who had made the park their practicing area, played loud, percussive music. Models even used the abandoned area as a backdrop for a fashion shoot.

Just as quickly as the park had become a thriving area for counter-culture, its wild and open era had come to an end. Entrances were closed and marked with large police signs, warning that trespassing was illegal. Although the signs did little to stop adventurous urban explorers, the police made a final move to close off the area a few years ago.

With permission from the owner of the land, the Sitges police force began to conduct training operations in the park, flushing more and more of the patrons out.

The police presence does not mark the end of entertainment in the park and a plan for redevelopment was recently proposed. If passed, the plan would create a 14 acre complex with shelters, and an amphitheater. Unfortunately, it looks like the days of skateboarders, models and bands may be behind the park, at least for now.