More water park repairs

by Larry Patrick
WALSENBURG- Walsenburg Wild Waters opened last week and averaged about $1,000 per day in revenue for the first four days. However, needed repairs have the facility seeing red ink in the season’s first week.
The replacement of the heat exchange pipe that had rusted through cost $7600. Installation of the pipe was $1,000 and shipment of the pipe was another $400 bringing the total to that problem alone at around $9,000. In addition, a mixer valve apparently froze during the winter and needs to be replaced. The igniter for the boiler may also have a problem that will require repairs. The cost for those repairs was not yet known. The showers are not working but the toilets and sinks are functional.
The city didn’t have the water park professionally winterized after last season, as it has done in the past, as a cost saving measure. They normally budget around $8,000 a year to open and close the Walsenburg Wild Waters with a company that specializes in doing that. Speculation is that there was too much chlorine going through the pipe that caused it to prematurely rust out. Warranties on the water park have run out so the city is liable for its own repairs.
The problems forced a delay in opening the water park on schedule. The city lost revenue on schools coming in for end-of-the-year parties plus they lost revenue for the Memorial Day weekend opening. That has amounted to around $5,000 in losses along with the repairs.
On a positive note, the water park ran smoothly this past weekend and the revenues were good. A June 12th wedding is planned at the WWW. Other private parties are also being booked through the summer. City officials are hoping revenues can start catching up to expenses.
Splash passes are now available with 20 entries for $60. Walsenburg Wild Waters’ regular schedule is Thursday through Sunday each week.