Construction crews have been buzzing in and out of the Strand theater on the Ocean City Boardwalk all winter, and the marquee now announces the product of their labor: Boardwalk Bounce.
A 5,000-square-foot facility filled with rock-climbing walls, bounce houses and obstacle courses is expected to open in April, according to a website promoting the new attraction.
The renovated space will feature a viewing area for parents with free WiFi access and service for food and drink concessions.
The attractions will cater to children ages 2 to 10 and include a special Candy Playland for toddlers, according to the website.
A formal announcement about the new venture is expected next week.
The project marks a milestone in the transformation of a property that first opened as a theater in the 1930s. In the age of the cinema multiplex, the small-town theater had been in decline even before Superstorm Sandy flooded the building in October 2012.
A local investment group had recently purchased the property, and they gutted it to remediate for mold, ultimately restoring two of the cinema’s five screens. Boardwalk Bounce will fill the remaining space at the Strand.
The Strand’s sister property, the Moorlyn Family Theatre, a block away on Moorlyn Terrace, was renovated by the Ocean City Tabernacle as a venue for movies, live shows and community events. The two properties now provide a hub of family entertainment at the heart of Ocean City’s Boardwalk.
The new Boardwalk Bounce facility is letting the public know about employment opportunities through its website and Facebook page. A hiring manager will be at the Strand (Ninth Street and Boardwalk) 11 a..m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (March 22) and Saturday (March 29). Applications are available online at www.boardwalkbounce.com, and same-day interviews will be available on both Saturdays.
Boardwalk Bounce will be made available as a “weather-proof” place for children’s birthday parties, family reunions or summer parties.
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