The SuperFly could pack up and leave Napier after losing its home

The SuperFly water slide in Napier. Photo / Supplied.

After four years of bringing summer fun to thousands of families, one of Napier's most popular water attractions urgently needs a new home if is to stay in the city.

The SuperFly inflatable water slide can no longer operate at its location beside Big Save Furniture in Pandora, due to a planned retail development on the site.

Owner Rick Kirkland said while the news was not a surprise, he had only received confirmation this week the site was unavailable.

"We've been actively looking for a new site in Napier, but so far we have not found a suitable site.

"It is our absolute desire to stay in Napier and continue to operate the SuperFly, but if we can't secure a location soon we will have to look at other locations around New Zealand.

"So, the pressure is on, otherwise we won't be coming back to Napier."

Kirkland said finding a suitable site was not easy.

"It has to be a warm site because it's a water activity, so it needs to get all day sun. We need a space big enough because it's 65m long and 25m wide plus then we need ancillary services, for people sit at picnic tables, a place for our kiosk and toilets.

"Obviously it can't be too exposed. It's a high structure and 12m tall. We were really fortunate because we were stuck in between a quadrant of buildings so that did protect us a lot from the wind."

The slide would also have to be located on concrete to stop the ground becoming sodden.

"It also needs to be somewhere where people can see it as well. It's a big attraction and it needs to be positioned at a place suitable for that sort of attraction."

Kirkland said tens of thousands of people had been on the slide in the past four years.

"We are really keen to stay in Hawke's Bay and particularly in Napier. It's really important people know the search is on now and we are working hard to find a location but if the worst comes to the worst and we can't find a suitable location - that's it for the SuperFly in Napier."

***COME ON HAWKE'S BAY - LET'S FIND A NEW SITE FOR THE ICONIC SUPERFLY:
IF YOU CAN HELP EMAIL NEWS@HBT.CO.NZ OR PHONE 06 873 0810***