Waterpark plans for Ramsey Lake beached for the moment
Plans for a water park on Ramsey Lake in Sudbury have been beached for the moment due to contractual problems.
An official with Moonlight Water Sports said he dealt with a lot of red tape, but now the city won't give them a contract.
Kyle Walton said plans for the park have been coming together for the last five years. It's why he was shocked when the city pulled the plug.
"My initial reaction was to the news was disappointment for all the work we've done," Walton said.
"I just can't see why at this point they'd continue with the cancellation knowing that we had everything in place to open."
Walton said they hired 16 staff, registered with WSIB, had insurance in place and financing for all of the equipment, which the city, he said, knew by May 9.
But he said he was told he hadn't met his contractual obligations and he would not be getting permission to proceed.
"There was definitely a lot of red tape and decisions being made on the fly, is what it seemed like, they would just come out with new dates and things when the original RFP doesn't have any dates listed to have these accomplishments made," he said.
No one was available to speak with CTV News at the city, but we did receive a statement saying, in part:
"As part of any contract execution, there are important legal, financial and insurance requirements that ensure the protection of residents and of the municipality. Moonlight Watersports was unable to satisfy critical requirements for the operation of an inflatable waterpark at Bell Park."
Ramsey Lake is split between two wards, Ward 10 Coun. Fern Cormier was unreachable. Ward 11's Bill Leduc said he has full faith in staff's decision.
Leduc said rules are in place to protect not only entrepreneurs, but also the city and its taxpayers.
"Our staff worked with Moonlight Water Sports since November 2021, moving forward right up to the first week of May and at that point in time we just saw that he wasn't able to meet his obligations in the procurement process," he said.
Walton said he believes he's been slighted. He fears the city will turn around and given it to another company, without having to go through the RFP process and having to jump through the same hoops.
Moonlight has put up a post on its Facebook page and is in the process of refunding advance ticket sales.
While Walton is hopeful the city will change its mind, he's not holding his breath. He's also been approached about moving to other Northern communities.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.