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LETTER: Consider charging out-of-town water park visitors, instead

Aldergrove resident advocates against 50 per cent water park price-hike proposed for May
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The giant popcorn bucket atop an OCOE water park play structure was met with squeals of laughter during opening day last summer. (Tim Collins photo)

Dear Editor,

An open letter to the Mayor and Langley Township Councillors:

Township council voting on April 1, to raise the entrance fee to the Otter Co-op Outdoor Experience (OCOE) by 50% for the 2019 water park season, came as a shock to many local residents.

Many of us can understand a small increase in entry prices, but a 50% increase for Aldergrove residents is too much.

We need to consider if this facility was built for the Aldergrove residents who lobbied for a larger pool for at least 30 years or if it was built for the Lower Mainland. Whose taxes and energy were put into building the facility?

We now have a large enough facility for the local residents but with the neighbouring municipalities using it many locals are not able to participate, and with the price increase it will make it that much harder for Township residents.

The staff report on the pool stated that the increases were necessary because the pool had 100,000 users in two months last year causing much higher staffing and maintenance costs.

READ MORE: Admission fees to Aldergrove’s waterpark could increase by half

Township staff compared fees at the OCOE with a variety of privately-run Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley water park facilities. These other facilities are much, much larger and have room for more people than our OCOE. There is no comparison to the Cultus Lake Waterpark which has over a dozen, much longer slides as well as a water playground for young children. We only have three short slides.

These other facilities are also run privately, and for profit. The OCOE was the Township’s answer to years of requests by Aldergrove residents for a new, larger pool.

We were promised, on many occasions, that the Aldergrove pool would have the same fee structure as the other pools in Langley. The Pacific Zone – with the lap pool, leisure pool and hot tub – will be priced the same as Walnut Grove and W.C. Blair pools, but will you be able to gain entrance with crowds from neighbouring municipalities?

There was a consideration by staff to charge those that did not live in Langley Township a higher price than those who do.

If a price increase needs to happen, this will serve as a much better option. Keep the price for Township residents the same as the other Langley Township facilities, as was promised. Raise the price for those from neighbouring municipalities to such an extent that it would offset costs and keep Township residents entry fees to the water park the same.

This may also decrease visitors from neighbouring municipalities and allow Township residents easier access as well as make it safer, more convenient and less costly for both maintenance and staffing.

Please consider this option.

Dianne Kask, Aldergrove