Waterslide will be one-time event this year
A weekly summer activity offered in Stellarton for many, many years will only be available as a one-time special event this year.
For at least the past 11 years, the town’s recreation department has operated a waterslide on Mondays at the Albion Ball Field during July and August. But at Monday night’s meeting, council voted to offer the waterslide once this summer, during Stellarton Homecoming celebrations.
Recreation director Paul Corbin explains the decision involved several factors.
Along with the work to set up and take it down, and the environmental impact of the large amount of water used, it was a matter of staffing.
He said it was a choice between offering a day camp for five days, or for four days with the waterslide on the fifth day of the week. “We have enough staffing to do one or the other.”
In past years, the day camp was offered for four days, but Corbin said many working parents requested a change to the full week. “We’re helping more families out with a five-day camp,” he said.
Also, Corbin noted that the new town square, which opened in the fall, contains a splash pad that residents can use for their children to cool off in summer. The self-automated sprinkler system features 12 jets activated by touch, he said.
He said setting up and taking down the waterslide is labour intensive, involving a one-ton truck and a backhoe, plus staff to monitor and operate it, which resulted in “a lot of hidden costs.”
Taking into account holidays that occur on Monday, the waterslide was offered at most six times each summer. Because it was only set up when the weather was favourable, sometimes it was only offered three times in the season, he said. But staff time still had to be allocated for it.
“We’ve never had a summer with six,” he said, adding that he’s been working for the town for 11 years and the waterslide was in operation before his time.
Corbin said the number of children using the waterslide depended largely on the weather. An average summer day could see 15 to 20 users, and he’s seen days with as few as five sliders when the weather is sunny but cool. During a special event such as Kids Day during Homecoming, attendance can reach 60 to 80.