The Hamilton Conservation Authority, who operate the Wild Waterworks on behalf of the city, are recommending that the attraction remain closed this year. The cost to keep its closed will be about $450,000 which will be used to keep 6 staffers busy doing maintenance on the facility. The facility also committed to $20,000 in prepaid advertising which cannot be cancelled.
HRCA warned that opening the attraction under what would likely be COVID restrictions could result in a loss as great as $2 Million. With an opening not likely until Canada Day, the report suggests that a combination of only having 76 days to operate coupled with what will almost certainly be restrictions on the number of attendees, would result in large losses. The facility would require 1400 visits a day to achieve a seasonal attendance of 100,000 which is deemed to be the break-even point. Closing the facility will wipe out more than 100 seasonal jobs for students.
The report continues, “Physical and social distancing concerns by the public could impact attendance and operations as well with 2 metre spacing being a challenge in a wave pool where the wave action brings patrons in contact and could prohibit attractions such as the 2-person body slides. Current recommendations from the Centre of Disease Control Wiping down tube slides, life jackets, tubes for the water slides and wave park and any other common items that get multiple use will increase costs.”
The report also made the point that “to open on any given day all slides, pools and concessions. must be staffed, whether 100 people show or a 1,000 people show. The costs are essentially a fixed cost and do not vary with
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