(Photo via Municipality of Chatham-Kent)(Photo via Municipality of Chatham-Kent)
Chatham

Aqua City back up plan gets sunk, focus back to Erieau Beach

Plans for an inflatable water park at Erieau Beach are moving forward, but not without some concerns and reservations from some councillors.

Councillor Ryan Doyle broke the news at Monday night's council meeting that water samples taken at the backup location for the park at C.M. Wilson Conservation Area in Blenheim on May 24, 2023 came back just suitable for bathing, but would not be suitable for bathing during the hotter summer months.

Doyle relayed that The Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority deemed the water at C.M Wilson was not suitable for bathing during the hotter summer months, rendering the pond unusable and pushing the water park back to its original location at the beach in Erieau.

Doyle's motion for the municipality to negotiate a lease and profit-sharing agreement with Aqua City for the proposed inflatable water park at Erieau Beach was approved, but not without some second thought and apprehension by a few councillors.

Councillor Alysson Storey said she feels the water park is being rushed and needs to see a detailed security and safety plan before she throws her full support behind the proposed water park, which sill needs further provincial and federal government approvals.

"Just want to make sure that all these benefits are balanced with the safety needs of the site. This is a new type of venture for CK and there's some trial and error with any new business and when you're dealing with water safety, trial and error can have some serious consequences," Storey said.

Assistant Fire Chief with Chatham-Kent Fire and Emergency Services Adam Walters told council that every business in the municipality needs an approved safety plan before they can operate.

Walters also reassured council that Fire Station 14 in Erieau would respond to any marine emergency at the beach if required.

Mayor Darrin Canniff told council that local kids are jumping for joy with recent news of the water park in Erieau and the trampoline park in Chatham.

The mayor said he's heard loud and clear from youth that there's nothing to do in Chatham-Kent and these two projects will go a long way to keeping them close to home.

"I go to a lot of schools and talk to a lot of kids and a big reason why they leave this community is that there's nothing to do. But now I'm hearing the buzz with this project and the trampoline park and the kids are bouncing off the ceiling as well," said the mayor.

Doyle said the water park should also attract more businesses to the municipality.

"I think this will make it easier for us to get those big corporations that want to employ a lot of people to come to Chatham-Kent and give them more to do," said Doyle.

The water park lease agreement would include some land for a kiosk tent and storage container, extra parking, and profit sharing.

The vote on the lease agreement was 11-4 with councillors Storey, Trevor Thompson, Anthony Ceccacci, and Jamie McGrail voting no.

Work is also underway by Aqua City to recruit enough lifeguards to keep users safe at the water park, something that has been easier said than done in recent years because of a shortage of lifeguards across Ontario.

Councillor Doyle said in addition to the lifeguards, the water park will have a dinghy in the water at all times in case an emergency rescue is required and feels the beach will be safer than it is currently.

"Currently you go to Erieau and you're not in a life jacket and there's no lifeguards. So, I'm going to say they're bringing extra safety to the beach," Doyle said.

Water park owners Sam Tudorica and her father Dr. Michael Fife also addressed council Monday night, telling them they're looking to hire a security firm to supervise the park after hours after 7 p.m.

They also said the anchored  park inflatables would be surrounded with lighted buoys to mark the area and keep boats safe and out of the area.

They said the water park would create about 20 summer jobs for youth and has a liability insurance policy for $10 million that includes the municipality.

The park, they said, would be about 1,000 feet from the pier to avoid the undertow and 150 feet from shore to be in deep enough water.

Doyle said the water park will not be open in stormy weather with strong waves and municipal officials said it'll be closed if there's an algae bloom that shuts down the beach.

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