PROVIDENCE — The Yawgoo Valley Water Park in Exeter, R.I., is closing after more than three decades.
Yawgoo Valley announced the permanent closure in a statement on Thursday. Other activities at the site, which include a popular ski area, “will continue to operate,” the statement said.
“After careful consideration, we have made the decision to permanently close the waterpark,” the statement said. “This decision reflects long-term operational considerations and the need to focus resources on other areas of the property.
“We are grateful to the many guests, families, campers, recreation groups, and staff members who made the waterpark a memorable part of the community over the years. Your support and participation have meant a great deal to us.”.
Opened for skiing in the 1960s, Yawgoo Valley expanded with the addition of the water park in 1989.
“Thank you for the many years of support,” the statement reads. “See you back on the snow December 2026!”
Tracy Hartman, general manager at Yawgoo Valley, said Friday the decision to close the water park was financial.
The closure will allow Yawgoo Valley to expand on the winter sports side of its business, as skiing has become more popular, Hartman said. The water park will be transformed into an additional learning area for ski and snowboard students, Hartman said.
The closure leaves Rhode Island without a water park this summer. In 2019, Water Wizz in Westerly, R.I., announced it would not reopen for the 2020 season after operating for four decades across the street from Misquamicut Beach.
Last year, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management announced several acres of the land that once made upWater Wizz would be protected for conservation and public recreation.
This story has been updated to include comment from Tracy Hartman.
Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.