Hamilton City Council to consider keeping Wild Waterworks closed for 2020

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Published May 12, 2020 at 5:14 pm

The Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) is recommending that Wild Waterworks remain closed for the 2020 season, a new report in front of city council this week shows.

The Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) is recommending that Wild Waterworks remain closed for the 2020 season, a new report in front of city council this week shows.

The report, in front of City Council at their Wednesday (May 13) virtual meeting, says that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City should accept HCA’s — who operates the attraction at Confederation Park — recommendation to keep it closed.

“If Wild Waterworks were to open and full or partial restrictions remain in place to limit the spread of COVID-19, the operating deficit could be as high as $2.63M,” the report, submitted by Craig Murdoch, Director, Environmental Services and Public Works.

“The closure of Wild Waterworks would result in an estimated operating loss for the waterpark of $425,000.”

The report says that under normal circumstances, the Wild Waterworks opens in mid-June and operates until Labour Day weekend.

It typically takes approximately six weeks to prepare the park and its staff for opening but with the pandemic, that could go on weeks longer if new sanitation protocols and protections to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

At this point in time, if restrictions across the province were lifted, the park would not be ready to open on time.

Consultations with other Canadian water and amusement parks, the report states, has pinpointed July 1st as a ‘drop-dead’ open date.

“This is a common date in order to be able to have a successful season financially,” the report explains. Anything later will result in a loss of approximately $250,000 a week.

For the operations of the park to be covered, the report says that approximately 100,000 patrons need to pass through the gates in any given season. This year, an average of 1,400 guests would have to attend the park every day in order to ‘break even.’

“Limitations on gathering sizes would greatly restrict the ability to meet this daily target to break even,” the report states.

There are other benefits to keeping the park closed for the season outlined in the report. They include being able to complete improvements of the Eazy River and Little Squirt Works attractions.

Other attractions at Confederation Park, including Lakeland Pool, would not be impacted by the water park’s closure and would be expected to reopen as per provincial and public health guidelines.

HCA’s board of directors, of which Councillor Lloyd Ferguson is Chair, approved the decision to close in mid-April and it still needs the approval of the City of Hamilton.

Photo courtesy Wild Waterworks’ Facebook page

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