By Shane O'Neill

Kinsmen Water Park reopens, staff to be paid for missed time

Aug 12, 2016 | 5:00 PM

Families and swimmers looking to cool off in the dog days of summer received some welcome news this week.

The Kinsmen Water Park reopened on Friday for the first time since last month’s Husky Energy Oil Spill forced Prince Albert to put emergency water restrictions in place across the city. The park was forced to close as a result of the restrictions.

Thirty-five full and part-time lifeguards at the water park, many of them students, were temporarily laid off during the facility’s closure.

Megan Miller is a lifeguard at Kinsmen. She’ll be starting her first year at the University of Saskatchewan in September. She said that she and her sister Brittany, also a lifeguard, worked odd jobs like house painting to save some money while the park was closed.

“I knew my parents would help me out if I needed,” Miller said. “But I didn’t want to bank on them paying for everything.”

Raising awareness

MADD Prince Albert launches 37th annual Project Red Ribbon

3h ago

Court proceedings

Crown stays sexual assault charge against Waskesiu business owner

8h ago

Elevate Your Self-Care Game With These Smart Lifestyle Moves

Nov 15, 2024

Mackenzie Hufnagel, another lifeguard at Kinsmen, said she is excited to get back to work for the remainder of the season. While still a high school student, Hufnagel isn’t worried about tuition for the upcoming school year. But, she said the uncertainty around the park during the closure was a concern.

“It was more of a stressful situation than anything else,” she said. “We were unsure about anything that was happening and we had to wait it out and stay up to date.”

Administrators for the City of Prince Albert said they are committed to paying the wages of the 35 lifeguards put out of work during the closure and will be seeking compensation from Husky Energy on behalf of the staff.

The water park will be open daily until Aug. 28, one week longer than scheduled to make up some of the lost season. All admission will be half price for the rest of the summer.

shane.oneill@paNOW.com

On Twitter: @stroneill