Taunton trampolines: Fun City Adventure Park opens in Taunton Depot

TAUNTON — Mulchaey Elementary School third grader Riley Derewiany, 9, said he loves going to Fun City Adventure Park since it opened in late October at the Taunton Depot shopping plaza.

"I love going on the trampoline," Riley said after he and his brother Maxwell, who is in second grade, rolled around inside large plastic balls in a bumper ball court on Tuesday, Jan 10. "The trampoline has rainbow lights that go on."

Riley and Maxwell's grandfather Kevin Cotter said his grandsons had visited Fun City Adventure Park "about four times" since it opened.

"We usually come here every 10 days," he said. "The kids like to climb a climbing wall. There is a great tube slide they can go down on."

Taunton resident Adrianna Urbanus, 23, said her fiancé Brandon Stanley and their daughter Jazmine Stanley enjoy jumping into a trampoline filled with small cushion blocks.

"I like doing the obstacle course," she said while visiting Fun City with her sister Tyler Urbanus, 22. "That is what I'm into."

Tyler said she tries to visit Fun City every couple of weeks with Adrianna and Jazmine.

"She (Jazmine) likes going into the ball pit to throw balls," Tyler added.

Taunton Area Chamber of Commerce membership coordinator Elizabeth LaBrecque said her 4-year-old son Julian loves anything at the park that involves jumping.

He has a huge amount of energy, and he "loves to be loud," she said with a chuckle after Julian slid down a slide into a pit of plastic balls.

Taunton resident Katlyn Goodwin said Fun City is "an age-appropriate place" for her 4-year-old daughter Athena.

"She can do a lot of things here, "Goodwin said before Athena jumped into a ball pit.

Fun City business partner Ethan Zhang said visitors could also play arcade games and climb on ropes.

"There are basketball courts, ninja courts and dodgeball pits," he added.

The park also has a foam pit, a jungle course and a 7,000-square-foot playground.

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Taunton School Committee member Louis Loura said Fun City would help eliminate students' boredom.

Loura said park officials told him they would offer a special admission price to schools that seek to send groups of students to the facility."It's a safe place for them to come and mingle with fellow students and their friends," said Loura, a district director for state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton. "They are supervised and able to enjoy themselves. It will benefit their parents."

School Committee Chairman Gregory DeMelo said Fun City could also provide employment opportunities for high school students.

"I'm sure they could use the help, given what we have seen in news reports about the need for workers in various businesses," he said.

Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School sophomore Nick Sabino, 16, said he enjoys working at Fun City.

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"I've been working here three months," he said while arranging cushion blocks inside the trampoline court. "All my friends work here."

Fun City employee Chase Calvano, 16, said Fun City is "a great environment" for visitors.

"You see people of all ages here," said Calvano, also a Bristol-Plymouth sophomore.

Fun City Adventure officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan 10 to celebrate the park's opening with city and state officials.

Mayor Shaunna O'Connell said Fun City Adventure Park would "bring economic activity" to Taunton Depot and businesses on Route 140.

"It gives our kids of all ages and families a great healthy active recreational activity to do," she said during the ceremony. "We are thrilled to see so many children here. It's businesses supporting businesses. "

Taunton Area Chamber of Commerce President Kris Silva said Fun City occupies a space that was previously home to Linens & Things, which closed in 2008.

"The Spirit Halloween store used to be here," she added.

Silva said Fun City's amenities would encourage people from surrounding communities to visit the amusement park and patronize nearby businesses.

"People are going to be looking for places to bring their kids," she said. "There's a Papa Gino's here and more local businesses."

Commonwealth Alternative Care Assistant General Manager Robert Hansen said he enjoys bringing his 4-year-old son Oliver to Fun City.

"There are slides, a ball pit and a jungle gym," he said after the ceremony. "Kids like the trampoline and jumping into the ball pit."

Zhang said Fun City gave free amusement park admission cards to some Taunton students whose parents are having financial difficulties.

"We gave the mayor the Fun City gift cards for distribution before Christmas," he said.

O'Connell said city officials appreciate Fun City's willingness to help people in need.

"We appreciate businesses coming here, but we especially appreciate when they are involved in our community and give back in so many different ways," she said.

Loura presented a state Senate citation to Zhang for Fun City's gift card donations.

"The Massachusetts Senate recognizes their contributions to the community and for providing a place of family entertainment in the city of Taunton," Loura said.

Zhang said it "was an honor" to be given a government citation.

"We try to help when we can," he said.