Good times when around five thousand people a day enjoyed the incredible swimming pools at Ondaparque da Caparica.
Many of us have incredible memories of childhood and adolescence in what was one of the most important water parks portugal.
Located in Trafaria, close to the IC20, in the Costa da Caparica, this park was inaugurated on May 1, 1988 and was open until 1996.
Ondaparque was also known for its advanced water renewal system, the only one of its kind in the country at the time it was inaugurated.
For eight happy years Ondaparque animated our sunny afternoons with round-the-clock music, competitions and dips in the undulating pools.
However, after eight years in operation, the park was closed in 1996 and has been abandoned ever since, for a total of 28 years, nothing like the vibrant and cheerful atmosphere of a few decades ago.
It is said that in recent years there has been a movement to reopen Ondaparque, in 2011, through a group of enthusiasts who formed the “Ondaparque Team”, with the aim of revitalizing this iconic water entertainment space.
Recently, there have also been projects and plans to reopen the park, which were promptly fueled on social media by the dreams of those who used to frequent the place.
There is no doubt that nostalgia and the desire to see Ondaparque reopened continue to be a driving force behind these efforts, although there is still no confirmed date for its potential reopening.
But all is not lost! If you miss those years, you’re not alone.
So many people love Ondaparque that there’s even a facebook page with more than 30,000 people sharing memories and trying to make it possible for the space to be redeveloped.
It seems that the only thing missing are investors with the skills to be part of the project. In this video, you can get a better idea of what could be done.
Now that warmer days are approaching, we really need a water park next door! One day we hope to publish an article entitled “Ondaparque announces reopening date”.
Editor’s note: Don’t confuse Ondaparque da Caparica with the “Aquaparque” in Restelo – Lisbon, where a tragedy occurred in 1993 that was fatal for two children!
Many people confuse the two parks, but the accident didn’t happen at Ondaparque, considered one of the safest water parks in the 90s.
4 parques aquáticos perto de Lisboa para viver o verão ao máximo