UPDATED AUG. 17
Sicamous council sees a proposed waterpark as a good fit for the community, and will now look at ways to make it fit.
During its Aug. 9 regular meeting, council received a presentation from Bounce the Shu’s Tyler Bartley, who was seeking the district’s support for setting up a new waterpark on Shuswap Lake.
The Bounce the Shu concept, Bartley explained, revolves around a modular, 70 metre by 70 metre, obstacle course-styled inflatable waterpark. He explained the model Bounce the Shu is looking at would have a capacity of 180 people, with a separate area for children ages seven and under.
It would be a privately owned and operated capital venture.
While there are similar parks in the Okanagan, Bartley emphasized this would be the first for the Shuswap.
“We have had discussions with CSRD (Columbia Shuswap Regional District) on other suitable locations in Blind Bay and Sunnybrae,” said Bartley. “We feel as an asset to the community and as a new tourist attraction, as well as being our head office location, a central location in Sicamous’ public beach is where we want out first and main location,” said Bartley.
Coun. Jeff Mallmes called the park a great concept, but challenged Bartley on the two locations Bounce the Shu was looking at for the park, both being adjacent to Sicamous Sands. While Bartley said the locations had been “thoroughly reviewed” with Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mallmes said he would also need permission from upland owners at Sicamous Sands.
“Both of your locations are not public land, they’re private property, and usually the upland owners are the ones you apply for… I can’t see them giving you support,” said Mallmes. “If you were trying to do this at the Beach Park, which the district has upland ownership of, you might have a chance.”
District building official/bylaw officer Dale Reid said that in order for the park to be on the water in front of Sicamous Sands, the district would require a licence of occupation.
“We would be leasing it because it’s a commercial application, we would having to be actually pay for that licence of occupation,” said Reid, adding there was no guarantee the application would be successful.
With discussion turning to Beach Park, Bartley said the park could be shrunk to fit in the public swim area.
Town manager Evan Parliament said it might be possible to integrate the waterpark into a master plan for Beach Park, explaining there currently exists a draft consultant report for improvements. He also noted district operations manager Joe McCulloch, who was not present at the meeting, already had a recreation concept designed for Beach Park – identified in the proposed recreation capital budget for 2017 as a $150,000 floating recreation area.
“Maybe we integrate this with the proposal and see if there’s a win-win, because I do concur with Coun. Mallmes, there’s a challenge with the upland property owners,” said Parliament.
Reid said if the commercial waterpark were to go in the public swim area, the district’s licence of occupation for the waterfront would change, and the district would be required to enter a lease agreement. However, Reid also said he’d spoken with municipal staff in Kelowna and Penticton, where similar parks are operated, and that the positive feedback was “unreal.”
Council remained supportive of Bounce the Shu’s proposal, and agreed to try to find a way to make it work.
The full Bounce the Shu presentation can be viewed in the Aug. 9 agenda on the District of Sicamous website.