Thursday, October 3, 2024
Just over 4,000 patron visits were made to the Clintonville Aqua Park this summer, which was the first summer it has been open.
Clintonville Public Works Director Justin Mc Auly shared that information and recapped the first summer of the Aqua Park at the Aug. 29 Public Works Committee meeting.
Mc Auly told the committee that in June the Aqua Park averaged 84 people per day that it was open.
“Very solid numbers I think for our first year,” Mc Auly said.
He said that there were just over 4,000 patron visits to the Aqua Park during the summer, adding that there were several inclement weather days when the facility was not open.
There was a total of 20 inclement weather days during the summer.
“That also was an impact on our total,” he said.
Mc Auly broke down the attendance by days of the week, stating that Saturdays drew the largest attendance numbers with 1,002 patrons, which was 24% of the total patronage.
Wednesday was the next highest attended day with 984 patrons.
“The second Wednesday of each month, the council approved a free (admission) day, and I think that’s why Wednesdays (had good attendance),” Mc Auly said.
When the city still operated the swimming pool, Mc Auly said Wednesdays were always the day of the week that had the least number of patron visits.
“That’s why we closed on Wednesdays toward the end of having that facility,” Mc Auly said. “But we decided to put Wednesday as our free day (with the Aqua Park), and you can see it helped.”
The attendance numbers for the remaining days of the week were as follows: Tuesday – 573 patrons, Sunday – 455, Thursday – 366, Friday – 344, and Monday – 336.
Mc Auly said concession sales at the Aqua Park amounted to more than $12,000. The average concession sales the city had when it operated the swimming pool, and after the swimming pool at the high school was constructed, was in the low $13,000s, according to Mc Auly.
“I’m hoping we can get this close to $13,000,” Mc Auly said.
City Administrator Caz Muske told the Clintonville Tribune-Gazette, “We are excited to close out on our first successful swim season at the Aqua Park. We greatly appreciate all the community support and feedback offered to better the facility. We look forward to our first year of winter activities - such as ice skating. Our Team believes this will continue to be a great addition to Bucholtz Park and provide family memories for years to come.”
E. coli testing
Mc Auly said the numbers for e-coli testing at the Aqua Park were “excellent” the entire season. The average test for the Aqua Park was 1.5. He said an advisory has to be placed if the number reaches 235, and the facility would have to be closed if the number hits 1,000.
He said most of the tests for the Aqua Park were at zero. The highest the Aqua Park reached was 11.
Natural beaches that are uncontrolled tend to receive high E. coli numbers because of geese, Mc Auly said.
The city has taken precautions to keep geese away from the Aqua Park.
Mc Auly said keeping the Aqua Park clean was a big concern of city residents, that they were afraid it was going to be a “mucky, yucky body of water” with a lot of geese.
“I think it’s just the opposite,” Mc Auly said.
Committee Chair Tammy Strey-Hirt said she frequented the Aqua Park several times during the summer and said the facility was very clean.
“To have something like this in our community is awesome,” Strey-Hirt said.
Controlling algae was also something the city has took action on, Mc Auly said.
Offseason storage
In order to make sure the items from the Aqua Park are protected from the elements and rodents during the offseason, the city purchased a 20-foot shipping container located in the southeast corner of the paved lot.
Mc Auly said it was placed there because they didn’t want it located too far from the Aqua Park.
“The nice thing about this is that it can be moved,” Mc Auly said.
He said the zoom phlume, the aqua glide access inflatable that was purchased near the end of the summer with a $1,400 donation from Rich and Ann Beggs, lifejackets, and lifejacket stands are being stored in the shipping container.
“Rich was passionate about getting something in there, he wanted to see it before the end of the year,” Mc Auly said. “We really only had it installed for maybe five days. But at least everyone got to see it, and we’ll be putting it out in the same exact spot next year. I think it was well-used in those five days. I seen a lot of kids enjoying it.”
Mc Auly added that the city would like to get more inflatables in the Aqua Park in the future.
“Just with one donation from on citizen, we could see more out here if we can push it with fundraising to get people to commit to these inflatables,” Mc Auly said.
