Canad Inns dumps Winnipeg water park plan

Canad Inns has pulled the plug on its planned indoor water park in Winnipeg.

The hospitality company has notified the city that it is no longer able to proceed with the project, according to a news release issued by the City of Winnipeg on Tuesday.

The city, however, is still interested in finding a companyto build the attraction and intends to reissue an expression of interest with respect to the design, construction and operation of an indoor water park. The news release states the city is still committed to the project, for which it believes there is still a strong public demand.

When it put out the initial call last year, the city said it would contribute up to $7 million toward the development of a privately owned and operated facility.

At a July 2008 meeting, city council chose Canad Inns as the preferred builder for the park and a grant in the full amount of $7 million was approved, subject to other funding agreements being achieved by Canad Inns.

'I think everybody's probably surprised by this.' Coun. Jenny Gerbasi

The company's proposal included 100 new rooms for the existing Canad Inns hotel at Polo Park, and a 66,000-square-foot indoor water park that would include a wave pool, lazy river, family whirlpool, adult whirlpool, children's activity pool, inner-tube slides, water roller-coaster, bowl waterslide and surf ride.

There was no explanation provided in Tuesday's news release as to why the company is not in a position to move forward on the park.

"I think everybody's probably surprised by this," said Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, who opposed giving public money to a private development from the start and argued for the water park to be located downtown.

"We were in a real rush. You know, council was saying, 'We don't have time to explore these downtown revitalization options. We just have to build new.'

"Now it's proven that we still haven't gotten anywhere. We still haven't started."

Gerbasi is hoping the city will now consider using the money to improve or add water features to its present facilities in the downtown area.

Mayor Sam Katz said he is disappointed that so much time has been wasted but provided no details on why the project fell apart. He said it is up to Canad Inns to explain that to the public.

The company has not returned CBC's calls requesting an interview.

In a statement issued Tuesday afternoon, Canad Inns saidit worked dilligently with the city on the project butall issues could not be resolved in the appropriate time frame.

Representatives with Creswin Properties, which also put forward a proposal last time, said they will wait to see what the city wants before deciding whether to try again.

The city did not say when it would reissue the call for proposals, other than "in the near future."

Winnipeggers have been mulling over proposals for an indoor water park in the city for years. Leo Ledohowski, president of the Canad Inns chain, has pitched previous suggestions for a water park combined with a football stadium in the St. Boniface neighbourhood and in Headingley, just west of Winnipeg.

Canad Inns already operates a 40,000-square-foot water park in Grand Forks, N.D., which is open to the public.