An aquatic playground at Lakeshore Park could boost Barry’s Bay’s economy and not cost taxpayer dollars.
That from the owner of Splashtown, a business that wants to open a franchise at the park if it can get the blessing of Madawaska Valley council.
Derek Stonier says he’s asking for a lease to operate the business in water for future July-August periods.
It involves adding a roughly $250,000 inflatable playground off the beach. The company would hire several lifeguards to ensure visitors, who pay a fee, can use the playground safely.
Stonier says he wants to open in Barry’s Bay because his family cottages in the area frequently and sees it as a special place.
“It would be a great eye catcher on the highway. And the big thing about (the proposal) is our fondness of Barry’s Bay,” he says. “We want to be somewhere we enjoy. It’s a beautiful area. There are probably better populated places, but we want to be working somewhere where we love it.”
Stonier already has Splashtown franchises in Port Colborne and the Manitoulin area, both of which opened post-pandemic. He says the Port Colborne playground attracted 13,000 out-of-town visitors in its first year; a sign that Splashtown can boost tourism.
Stonier says he’s accepted an invitation from council to talk about the proposal at a future meeting and the two sides are working to set up a date.