Kenosee Superslides to remain closed for the summer
The Kenosee Superslides will be closed for the rest of the summer after health authorities decided against granting the waterpark an operating license.
Owner Harvey Armstrong said the success of the slides is largely dependent on the long weekends in July and August, during which they were unable to open.
“If you don’t get both of them, you really, really hurt,” he said.
He blames a lack of communication between the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and the owners, and said he was shocked to learn they had been denied a permit to operate.
“We were very, very surprised that we received the letter without a chance of response,” he said.
According to Armstrong, appealing the decision could take up to 30 or 45 days. Even if they won the appeal, they would still lose the summer season.
In a statement to CTV, the SHA said the public health officer has concluded their review and they are unable to comment further on the matter. The SHA did not give details on why it denied the permit.
Armstrong said he is disappointed and the decision to close the slides for the season has weighed heavily on him.
“I haven’t slept well in about three weeks. Your stomach’s always turning, your head is always going,” he said.
The southeast Saskatchewan attraction has been operating in Moose Mountain Provincial Park for more than 30 years. Armstrong and his son, Jan, purchased the slides in 2019.
The SHA’s requirements for a permit won’t be hard to meet next year, said Armstrong, but he’s most concerned about surviving the offseason to make it to next summer.
“We feel we can. So rather than get down in the dumps, we’re optimistic and we’re getting fired up.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.