Emma Powers is helped by Hannah Hart and mom Sarah Powers. (MARC ST. ONGE PHOTO/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
WESTFIELD – FunZ Trampoline Park opened Oct. 15 after more than a year of anticipation from area residents.
Assistant Manager Aaron Torres said within minutes of posting a link to the reservation site on social media Thursday afternoon, there were 25 reservations.
“Everyone is really excited and pumped up,” he said of FunZ staff prior to opening. “People have been waiting for this.”
Co-owner Johnny Chen announced in June 2019 his intent to open in January 2020. Between construction delays and COVID-19, the 50,000 square-foot park opening was put on hold but is now open seven days a week. Under Phase 3 COVID guidelines in Massachusetts, amusement and entertainment parks such as trampoline parks can open at half-capacity.
J.R. Cody III, director of Commercial Leasing & Investments for Westfield Shops owner DEI Property Management LLC, said he was happy to have the park open.
“We are very excited to be welcoming a new co-anchor tenant to the shopping center, but just as importantly, delivering a tenant that the City of Westfield was hoping to see come to town, that being an entertainment concept that the entire community could enjoy,” Cody said.
FunZ occupies the former Bon-Ton store space, which closed in 2018. Cody said DEI is actively seeking businesses to fill the open spaces in the Shops.
“We are in active discussions with several tenants for our remaining spaces, whom I am not at liberty to name, but that have shown interest in the shopping center,” he said.
In the past two years, in addition to the main Bon Ton store, Dress Barn, Little Caesar’s, Friendly’s and Bon Ton Men & Home have closed. Some of those spaces have been occupied while some remain available. Spirit Halloween is temporarily occupying the former Bon Ton Men’s store.
“We have just a few remaining spaces available of varying sizes and have received interest from several different user types including restaurant, medical and wellness type concepts and traditional retailers,” Cody said.
Torres said under state guidelines, FunZ can have 175 people inside the park at one time. Masks are required by all guests and staff, however Torres said there is a designated area for mask breaks.
Online reservations and filling out of waivers is strongly suggested. Torres said walk-in guests are welcome, but they may have to wait for a jump time. Torres and Manager Ryan Lau want the public to know FunZ staff is following all sanitizing guidelines to make the park as safe as possible.
“We are constantly sanitizing,” Torres said. “Everything will be sanitized daily before we open, and we will continuously sanitize.”
He said staff will clean in zones, closing one zone at a time to sanitize, including ball and foam pits, said Torres.
“We have a backpack style sprayer and someone standing in the center can spray disinfectant on everything, then we mix it up and spray again,” he said, adding that once one zone is sanitized and dried – which takes about five minutes – that zone will reopen and another will close for cleaning.
Staff have all been trained on COVID-19 protocols, including cleaning and safety procedures, and they are ready for visitors.
“We are expecting this weekend will be insane, and we’re excited,” said Torres.
FunZ is open Monday-Thursday from 3-9 p.m., Friday from 12-11 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Every day from 6 p.m. – close is “Glow Night” at no extra charge. Prices start at $10.50 for 60 minutes for guests 42-inches tall and under and $16.50 for guests over 42-inches tall. The maximum price is $34.50 for 180 minutes. Special socks must be purchased for $2.50 for each person jumping.
Birthday party rooms are available for up to 70 guests.
A link to reserve jump times is on the FunZ Trampoline Park Westfield Facebook page.
