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Calypso water park facing 3 new lawsuits alleging unsafe environment

One of three recently-filed lawsuits alleges the plaintiff was injured in Calypso's wave pool.

Calypso water park is facing three new lawsuits totalling over $2 million from customers alleging they suffered serious injuries at the eastern Ontario attraction.

In a statement of claim, 20-year-old Katherine Noah of Ottawa says she was on the Limoges, Ont., park’s "Orange Bobsleigh" ride July 28, 2012, when she alleges there wasn’t enough water at the end.

“The raft did not slow down but instead hydroplaned across the landing pool until it hit the edge, throwing Katherine from her position at the front of the raft onto the surrounding concrete pool deck,” the suit alleges.

The lawsuit also claims Noah wasn’t given any directions or cautions at the start of the ride, that she had her hands in the correct handles and there had been a similar incident earlier in the day without it being shut down.

Noah’s suing for $1.75 million in damages for injuries including back pain and headaches.

Her suit was filed last Monday, June 30.

North Kawartha’s Katherine Stokes filed the second lawsuit on May 28 of this year.

Her statement of claim alleges she was twice sucked underwater in the wave pool on July 25, 2010, causing her head to be “violently” smashed against the wall of the pool several times.

Stokes says in the lawsuit the park was negligent and caused a traumatic brain injury, along with cuts to her face.

She’s looking for $250,000 in damages, alleging the park “failed to provide safe premises” and “breached its duty of care to her by failing to properly instruct and advise her as to the proper method of swimming in their wave pool.”

The third lawsuit was filed by a family June 6, suing Calypso and five patrons after they allege they were physically and verbally assaulted on July 3, 2013.

Lawyer Lawrence Greenspon is representing Calypso in all three of these lawsuits and said nearly half a million people visit the park every summer without incident.

"I think that people are coming forward with those cuts and bruises looking for lots of money as a result and we're going to be defending these lawsuits quite vigorously," he said Tuesday.

None of these claims have yet been proven in court.

Calypso will be in court in September to face 20 safety-related charges laid by Ontario’s Technical Standards and Safety Authority.