It was an innovative park when it first opened in 1994, but now it is in great need of a refresh.
Tall water slides tower over the lazy river at the Wave Waterpark.
Their conditions similar to the profit turned each year-- all dried up.
“We're also losing about a million dollars a year here at the wave,” said Vista Mayor John Franklin.
$3,383,532 is needed just to get the park operable.
From poor condition of the lower deck, to the slides themselves needing some work.
Most recently, the chlorinator broke, causing swimmers to seek medical attention.
“Students reported that their skin was irritated by an overdose of chlorine.
We want to make sure that never happens again,” said Mayor Franklin.
So they had three options brought before the city council.
1 was to restore the park through a phased approach.
2 was to repurpose it completely.
And 3 was to bring in a private operator.
The third option causing some fear among parents of high school swimmers, since it’s the only pool in Vista they can practice in.
“My fear initially is that, you know, they could decide that they don't want to rent it out to the schools. The Vista Unified and the City of Vista have a really great relationship in using and, you know, allowing the high schools to use this, and there's no guarantee for that,” said Liz Parker, who’s daughter played water polo at the Wave.
A “Save the Wave” campaign taking off online.
But Vista Mayor John Franklin says there may be some misinformation out there.
“So under any of the options that are chosen, the Wave will always continue to belong to the people of Vista, and it will always be managed by the city council, and the people of Vista and the parents of the student athletes here will always have the ability to have access for student aquatic sports,” said Mayor Franklin.
Private operator or not, there is one thing residents and the city agree on.
“It's a community. This is, this is a part of Vista. I mean since '94, so I think it's really important to keep this open,” said Parker.
“The most important thing that we want to do is protect the wave for future generations of kids and the student athletes who are using the pool,” said Mayor Franklin.
