Calypso Waterpark abandons plans to open this summer

Calypso Waterpark will not be opening for the 2020 season.

The company announced its decision online saying "despite our comprehensive efforts" the Ontario government's decision to keep waterparks closed forced its hand.

In a statement to CBC News, Calypso Waterpark said they had expected to open under the government's Stage 3 plan in mid July and had therefore "invested hundreds of thousands to prepare the park."

"Even with a comprehensive reopening plan that was pre-approved early July by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit, the provincial government has put a hold on the waterpark industry in Ontario," the statement said.

Tourism Minister Lisa McLeod said yesterday she knows parks like Calypso are confident about their safety protocols but the province is continuing to follow guidance from health officials.

"The Chief Medical Officer of Health has advised our government and we have accepted his science that theme parks and waterparks will not be able to open at this time," she said.

With not all of Ontario being in Stage 3 and the fact that people are travelling around the province and into Ontario from different parts of Canada, Dr. David Williams feels reopening parks is too risky at the moment, McLeod said.

Once all of Ontario is in Stage 3, she said the province will reassess whether theme parks and waterparks can reopen but Calypso said that will come too late as their season usually wraps up around Labour Day.

Marie-Eve Doyon, a spokesperson for the company, said they will be seeking compensation from the government.