A Sudbury-owned business is making a splash this summer by bringing a new travelling inflatable water park to Chelmsford in August.
After a stint at a private resort near Niagara Falls, Splash N Go Adventure Parks will be setting up at Vermillion Lake Park from Aug. 1 to 15.
Its epic multi-course route system features a series of obstacles, like monkey bars, a slide, and a climbing wall, on an inflatable course floating on the water.
Suitable for ages five and up, the park can be enjoyed by the entire family.
“We’ve been looking at doing this for a few years, but we got delayed due to COVID-19. This year, we finally managed to open up and we’re pretty excited about it,” said Sudbury entrepreneur Mike Lafreniere.
“It’s essentially a three-track system that offers an easy, medium, and hard obstacle course for participants of all skill levels. It’s really fun and engaging. It gets you outdoors for some exercise and the kids love it.”
Lafreniere is a Chelmsford resident who owns a number of local businesses, including the mobile video game trailer Game On Express.
He worked with multiple partners to purchase the inflatable water park and get it on the road this summer to travel across Ontario.
“I live in Chelmsford and I remember years and years ago, a water park was being erected in the area. It eventually got shut down before it even had the chance to open, and it was kind of a downer for the entire community,” said Lafreniere.
“I first saw some of these (inflatable water parks) down at a trade show in Florida, and I thought, how cool would it be to get one of those up here. When I saw it, I knew I had to do it.”
Lafreniere said that the park was a significant investment – it cost over six figures.
“And that’s not including all of the stuff that goes with it like lifeguards, life-saving equipment, first aid, emergency response, insurance, and all that,” he said.
“It’s quite a big investment, but we’re looking into purchasing another park for next year so that we can travel to more locations, especially in Northern Ontario.”
Splash N Go Adventure Park will employ 15 people locally during its operation in August, including lifeguards, various support staff, and full-time workers based out of its head office on Barrydowne Road.
There is also the chance that its Chelmsford stay could be extended, depending on local demand.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, the park will be operating at 75 per cent of its 135-person capacity as restrictions allow.
Tickets can be purchased online for four 1.5-hour sessions throughout the day at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. to allow for contact tracing and social distancing.
“Usually, we would offer an all-day pass, but we can’t this year due to pandemic restrictions. I know an hour and a half does not sound like a long time, but in 28-degree weather out in the middle of a lake, it is – trust me,” said Lafreniere.
Vermillion Lake Park is allowing visitor access in the parking lot and the beach, so visitors are asked to arrive 45 to 60 minutes prior to their booking to sign in and complete waivers. Transportation to the park location will be provided.
All visitors must wear the life jackets provided by Splash N Go during their session.
Passes will be available starting July 14 for $25, tax included, per person and include full access to the park.
Lafreniere added that the park is still looking for lifeguards. Anyone interested in participating can get in touch with Splash N Go’s head office.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.splashngo.ca.
Colleen Romaniuk is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with the Sudbury Star