Pulling the plug on Wild Waters

PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - A wave of comments on social media has engulfed the popular Wild Waters fun park in Plettenberg Bay after it announced it was shutting shop.

The move follows a decision by owner Kerry Morris-Levin to close the water park after a spat with Bitou Municipality over continuing the lease on the municipal-owned property.

The municipality issued a statement following the social media barrage criticising the closure of Wild Waters, saying the tenant [Wild Waters] said it would not be financially viable to continue to operate the water park.

"The decision to close the facility was not a decision of Bitou Municipality, but that of the tenant who has declined an 11-month lease offered by Bitou stating that it would not be moved by the municipality," said a statement issued on behalf of Bitou Mayor Dave Swart.

Wild Waters falls within Swart's Ward 2.

Morris-Levin has leased Wild Waters from the municipality since 2005 for R277 a month. The fall-out followed a municipal process that, in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act, required the municipality to re-assess its property holdings, according to Municipal Manager Mbulelo Memani.

Some of the social media posts said the municipality was considering building low-cost housing on the property or building a shopping complex.

Public participation required

Swart said the media statement issued clearly stated that whatever happens to the property, it would have to undergo a public participation process.

"Because it is a public asset, members of the public will be given a platform to comment on whether they want the land to be used for the current purpose or a new purpose. Once the public has agreed on its use, the matter will go to the council and then it will go out on tender to call for proposals to operate it," said Swart.

He said Bitou Municipality was aware of the recent social media posts regarding the closure of Wild Waters Plettenberg Bay and would like to correct some mistruths. In May a decision was taken, in light of new legislation, to go out on tender for all expired leases, which included Wild Waters.

"The operator, whose lease had expired, made enquiries with Bitou's legal department and was presented with the option of an 11-month rental, while Bitou finalised the procurement process so the place could still be open for the festive season, and the tenant declined. Numerous engagements with the tenant with the latest being last Friday, 27 October, confirm no interest in the lease, but would rather wait for the tender process," Swart said in the statement.

Morris-Levin sets it straight

In another post on Facebook, Morris-Levin said that there are "no mistruths in my statement and I don't take kindly to the insinuation nor did I state that the municipality closed the park".

"I stated that the park is closed. I chose to make a statement online... after reading a flurry of comments 'dissing' the municipality and speculations as to low cost housing and shopping centres etc. being built that were being made online. I wanted to nip any rumour-mongering in the bud before the community got up in arms about a shopping centre going up etc. I didn't want inaccuracies being stated (for the benefit of the municipality and knowing the land is zoned for recreational use, so my statement was for your benefit as also sorts of things were being tossed in the ring)."

The cost to get the park operational was deemed too high by the operator.

High costs

Morris-Levin said it was accurate that she declined the further 11-month lease. "I simply could not sink any further money into the park until the tender went out and the outcome established.

"I expressly explained that all the maintenance done on the park is done during winter months where a mammoth amount of my own time and physical labour and money goes into the maintenance required to get it ready to run it for season," she said.

She stated that it was not plausible to spend the amount needed to get it ready, the time factor aside. Just the putt-putt repair work needed was R40 000, aside from pool coatings and slide repairs. "That's a lot of money to put in over and above the prospective loss of the assets ...to tide over a few more months due to their delay in finalising the process.

"I don't think, Mr Mayor, I need point out the level of stress in the wait this took ... to be told at the start of summer (after four months, not four weeks as I was told it would be). Reclarify your background, Mr Mayor... I have kept my emotions out of this but do not insinuate mistruths when there haven't been and when I have been hanging like a yoyo for months and made a statement purely to squash the surmises for your benefit."

Asked by KPH for further comment, Morris-Levine said, "I really don't want to get into a back and forth [with the municipality]. That was not my intention. Whatever I had to say was said in my post and reply to the municipality post. There really isn't anything more to add."

Wild Waters' entrance bears the ominous 'closed' label on its sign.