No lifeguard means no splashing at Splash n' Putt, as rule change forces early closure

There wasn't much splashing at Splash n' Putt Resort this summer.

The water park, located alongside the Trans-Canada Highway in Glovertown, has been a local gem for four decades.

Knownfor its bright blue water slide and bumper cars, Splash n' Putt is a go-to spot for families.

But summer came to an abrupt end for the water park Sunday. Its owners decided to turn off the taps due to low attendance but not lack of interest.

Splash n' Putt co-owner Shane Gardiner said the business could only use a portion of their pool this season because of legislation changes requiring them to hire a lifeguard certified by the Royal Life Saving Society or the Canadian Red Cross.

The pool at Splash n' Putt is four feet deep. Gardiner said they were unable to fill the position because of the upped certification requirements.

He's asking the government to change the legislation, so Splash n' Putt can hire bronze medallion-trained lifeguards, which is the prerequisite for assistant lifeguard training in Bronze Cross.

Without it, next summer could further hurt the business.

The resort provided discounted rates to every guest that visited this summer,but for some, it wasn't enough. Many visitors changed their plans altogether, said Gardiner.

"All summer we're getting emails, Facebook messages, et cetera. You know, 'is your pool open yet?' 'Is your pool open?' Our day passes are our biggest seller, and I guess people want the full package," he said.

The pool's closure sparked rumours that their water slide was also closed, according to Gardiner. But he said the park had attendants operating the slide, bumper boats and splash pad.

"It's having a real negative impact on our business. I mean, it's creating high levels of stress for both me and my wife," Gardiner said.

Gardiner said Terra Nova MHA Lloyd Parrott is trying to advocate on their behalf, but they have heard nothing from the provincial government.

"I don't know what we're going to do," Gardiner said. "I'd love to be able to just hire a lifeguard every year, but that's just simply not the case."

Looking ahead to next summer, Gardiner said if legislation doesn't change, he'swilling to pay for someone's lifeguard training. He's not sure what else he can do.

"Something's gotta happen because we won't be going through a summer like this again," he said. "This means it's just not possible. We can't maintain it this way."

A statement from Health and Community Services Department spokesperson Khadija Rehma said the protection of public health and safety in public pools is paramount. The statementalso noted thatpublic pool regulations haven't changed, but were amended in 2016.

"Staff with Digital Government and Service N.L. have been in contact with Splash n'Putt regarding the classification of their pools and the requirement for a qualified lifeguard for the one pool classified as Class A. Digital Government and Service N.L. will continue its discussions with Splash n'Putt in the coming months to ensure a full understanding of their requirements before opening next season."

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