Sudden closure of Surrey trampoline park bounces birthday parties elsewhere

Young children celebrating birthdays this weekend were disappointed to find locked front doors at an indoor trampoline park in Surrey, B.C.

Sky Zone, a popular venue for families, closed unexpectedly on Friday. The business posted a message on its Facebook page and website to apologize for the inconvenience. 

On Saturday, parents showed up with cake and balloons for their kids' birthdays, but were forced to relocate or cancel.

"It makes me feel sad," said three-year-old Hunter-Scarlett Ackermann, whose birthday was planned for Saturday.

The girl's mother, Jaclyn Ackermann, says she saved $600 over three months to host the party at the venue.

"They didn't call me to give me a warning the party was cancelled," Ackermann said, adding that the company confirmed the booking as late as Thursday. 

"They haven't contacted me about reimbursement."

Sky Zone Trampoline Park is a franchised business with more than 200 locations across North America, according to its website, and there's no indication that other locations are affected.

The Surrey franchise and the company's head office didn't respond to requests for comment. A repossession company posted a note on Sky Zone's door explaining that the landlord terminated the lease and ordered the tenant to leave. 

Other parents who paid for parties and showed up at the Surrey location on Saturday also expressed dismay that they weren't notified of the closure.

"You don't really expect to go to your child's birthday when they're excited and then have them heartbroken," said dad Jesse Jameson.

"It's easy enough to call us and let us know so we can make other arrangements."