Waterford Oaks Master Plan

Past

Waterford Oaks has a special place in the history and service of Oakland County Parks. Because of its location, near the geographic center of the county and proximity to Pontiac, the Parks and Recreation Commission worked to make Waterford Oaks a hub of recreational innovation for decades. Home to Michigan’s first wave-action pool, refrigerated toboggan run, BMX track, and a fleet of unique mobile recreation units, Waterford Oaks was nationally recognized for setting new standards for public recreation facilities. 

Over the years, however, priorities shifted and resources were redirected toward recreational amenities in other areas of the County. Without a clear vision for how to enhance or replace Waterford’s signature attractions, enthusiasm waned, attendance fell, and it became increasingly difficult to justify the cost of maintaining the aging infrastructure.

Present

With the approval of the 2024 millage increase, Oakland County Parks is once again in the position to be a leader in recreational innovation, and with the benefit of 60 years of experience (and technologies which could only have been dreamed of in the 1970’s) we can not only develop cutting-edge facilities; we can ensure that those facilities are sustainable, adaptable, and resilient to changes in our climate, social trends, and resource availability.

Future

Oakland County Parks, with input from community members and stakeholders, will be creating a Park Master Plan to help shape the future of the park. There will be opportunities along the way for the community to engage, share and stay informed.

Waterpark Information

The Waterford Oaks Waterpark is the home of countless memories that have been made over the past five decades.

As the infrastructure for the waterpark has reached the end of its life-cycle, Oakland County Parks has an obligation to write the next chapter for this park in a way that:

• considers community input
• makes the greatest impact
• and is financially and organizationally responsible

Click the link below to check out a page dedicated to the past, present and future of this beloved park facility. Have a favorite memory or photo you'd like to share? There's a spot for that, too!

Check it out!

The boxes below display the timeline for the Waterford Oaks Master Plan, with the current phase being displayed automatically. Click through to see what's happening at Waterford Oaks right now, where you can get involved and what's to come!