Case in point
Waterparks big and small have all employed one or more of these tactics at one point or another. For example, SeaWorld® Orlando is dedicated to keeping true to their slogan: ‘Real. Amazing.’ Since the park is open year-round, its slide flume surfaces are subject to wear, weathering, and UV fade from direct sunlight. Therefore, to bring these attractions back to life, each slides’ worn-down interior gel coat was removed and a fresh layer was applied to keep them smooth and shiny.
In addition, slide sections comprising open flumes were also replaced with new fibreglass to reveal a vibrant, fresh look, but more importantly, ensuring they were structurally sound. These adjustments make a world of difference to a fun experience.
In the municipal market, making attractions last is an important way of making taxpayers’ dollars go further. For instance, with a mind on budgets, the Newton Wave Pool in Surrey, B.C., had a play structure that required extra attention to extend its lifespan. In this case, after a full safety assessment by service technicians, all of the standpipes were replaced, platforms were renewed with ones made of fibreglass, rust was removed, and a new polyethylene waterslide was installed.
Forward thinking
With most waterparks in Canada now closed for the winter, facility operators are turning their attention to next season. Now is the time to reconsider some of the options available that can help revitalize the park and impress guests next season.
Katr
ina Kalashnikova is a senior project manager with the aftersales department at WhiteWater West. She studied engineering, business, and economics at Simon Fraser University and she holds a global credential of project management processional from PMI. Kalashnikova has more than 10 years of business, manufacturing, and construction experience and has a proven record of successfully completing complex projects. She can be reached at katrina.kalashnikova@whitewaterwest.com.
