A Wibit waterpark, like the one in Kelowna, could be opening on Osoyoos Lake by July 1. (Okanagan Wibit)

By Vanessa Broadbent

Osoyoos Times

After being delayed last year, it’s starting to look like Osoyoos Lake will house an inflatable water park this summer.

At their open meeting on April 15, Osoyoos town council voted to acquire a 30-year licence from the province that will allow Okanagan Wibit to open a water park in the lake off the north part of Gyro Beach.

The company already operates waterparks in Kelowna, Peachland and Penticton, and approached council about opening a park in Osoyoos Lake in 2016.

Last year council approved necessary foreshore and lake rezoning, but was waiting for the province to approve a foreshore lease.

Now, the Ministry of Forests, Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development needed the town to pass a resolution to acquire the land, director of Community Services Gerald Davis told council.

“This is the final step in the application process,” Davis said.

The operators of the water park will be responsible for covering the initial $2,815 licensing fee, first year fee of $2,681 and subsequent yearly fees.

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They’ll also be giving the Town $9,000 the first year, jumping to $9,500 the second year and $10,500 the third.

The sub-lease outlines that the operator can continue to renew the lease for three-year terms at $10,500.

Mayor Sue McKortoff asked when the park would be open for business.

Director of Planning and Development Services Gina MacKay said the company is hoping to start looking for staffing opportunities in town starting in June, with a planned opening before July 1.

McKortoff pointed out that having the inflatable rubber park close to where the Canada Day fireworks are set off on the lake could be troublesome with falling ash.

Town staff will work with the company and invite them to a Canada Day planning meeting, MacKay said.

Coun. CJ Rhodes pointed out an error in the lease agreement, stating that the foreshore area was in Okanagan Lake, not Osoyoos Lake.

“Hopefully it is Osoyoos Lake and not Okanagan Lake because there’s going to be a lot of confused people that have lived here for numbers of years,” he joked.

Council agreed to move forward with the lease if town staff file an amendment making sure it is in fact in Osoyoos.