Proposed floating water park may have new location

A popular camp and recreation area could be another option for bringing a large, floating, inflatable water park to Chatham-Kent.

Talks are going on to set up the Aqua City water park in the man-made pond at CM Wilson Conservation Area after concerns were raised about locating it on Lake Erie off the public beach in Erieau.

Concerns were raised about the undertow near the pier and the large waves that routinely come up on Lake Erie.

“We’re not sure if this will go or not, because we did get a little bit of pushback from people in Erieau. It didn’t look like they would have any other options,” said South Kent Coun. Ryan Doyle.

The councilor has been working with Samantha (Sam) Tudorica, who is investing in the portable water park.

Tudorica said she likes how the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority, which owns CM Wilson Conservation Area, is interested in working with them.

“I like that it is a safer option,” she said.

Working with the LTVCA also means not having to get municipal, provincial and federal approvals to operate on one of the Great Lakes.

“The LTVCA is in very early talks with the water park proponents,” said Mark Peacock, chief administrator for the conservation authority in an email.

“Our interest in this proposal would only be based on how this could expand our environmental and Indigenous educational opportunities at CM Wilson,” he said.

“We hold lands to inform and have people experience nature,” he said. “We would want this to be an opportunity to further this purpose.”

Peacock said the LTVCA is sampling the water quality at the reservoir at CM Wilson. He noted good bathing water quality will have to be shown before the proponent is interested in using the area.

Peacock also said the LTVCA board would have to give approval before it became a reality.

Tudorica and Doyle addressed some questions raised about the operation of the floating water park.

Doyle said a lot of people have asked why not locate it on the bay side of Erieau.

Tudorica said nautical maps show the bay side is too shallow for the operation.

“There are some obstacle courses that you can jump off of that you need at least nine feet (2.7 meters) of water depth,” she said.

Doyle noted the bay side of Erieau also doesn’t have public access and Mitchell’s Bay is also too shallow.

Tudorica said if the water park is set up in Erieau it will be far enough from the pier to avoid undertow issues.

She added everyone who uses the water park will be required to wear a lifejacket.

If located on Lake Erie in Erieau, she said the floating park would be about 30 meters to 45 meters off-shore anchored to large cement blocks that would sit on the lake bottom.

She said operating hours would be 11 am to 7 pm, depending on wave action, storm warnings and weather.

Finding a location is important, because Tudorica said the water park, which has had the delivery delayed once already, is expected to arrive in mid-June.