Winnipeg – the Wisconsin of the North?

Mayor Katz thinks it’s embarrassing a city of Winnipeg’s size doesn’t have a major waterpark yet. Personally, I think it’s embarrassing the City of Winnipeg couldn’t figure out a way to build a pool for $9 million. Hell, Steinbach has one of these things.

I think it’s even more embarrassing that exactly none of the major recreation projects announced by Katz nearly three years ago have come to fruition yet. Wasn’t he supposed to be the “I like results” guy?

Anyway, back into the pool. Cherenkov points out that Katz’s goal of building a water park that’s a “major attraction” for Winnipeg might be a bit more expensive than his $25 to $35 million projection. A new outdoor park under construction in Ottawa is expected to cost $50 million. The first Canadian location of the Great Wolf Lodge chain of indoor resorts was recently built in Niagara Falls for more than $100 million. Kalahari, the current king of the indoor water park world, is building new facilities for over $200 million.

As for square footage, the Mayor is at least in the ballpark, but his latest estimate of 60,000 really is just a starter facility by today’s standards. And once you add the extras needed for these places to actually make money — hotel rooms, restaurants, other entertainment attractions, parking — then it’s doubtful any bidder is going to be able to satisfy the City’s preference for a downtown location.

So what do I make of this latest scheme? Well, we’re basically taking funds that were earmarked for a small water park and trying to leverage them to build a midsize park instead. If all goes well, and the City gets some solid, creative, “Wisconsin Dells-esque” proposals then I’ll support it. However, if all we end up with is one of these rinky-dink looking Splasher’s places that Ledohowski is tacking on to the side of his hotels these days then I’ll be very disappointed.

For a more amusing take on the situation, be sure to listen to CJOB’s Vic Grant from his “Excuse Me” segment this morning. Something tells me Vic won’t be dusting off the old speedo for a run down the corkscrew anytime soon.