Funding available to make Adventure Bay visits affordable for all

The summer is here and the city is reminding the public that Adventure Bay is open seven days a week, with measures in place to ensure that all Windsor residents can afford to visit the water park with their families.

"There's things to do for everyone at Adventure Bay," said Jelena Payne, the city's commissioner of community development and health services, in a telephone interview with CBC News.

The park opened last year and Payne said that it's clear that summer is the peak season at Adventure Bay, though they get busier when holidays roll around at any time of year.

"We find that when families are off, our attendance rates do tend to increase," she said.

The general admission price to visit Adventure Bay varies depending on what time a person is heading to the water park and how long they are staying there. There are early-bird and so-called star-light rates, as well. The admission price is also discounted for residents of Windsor.

Additionally, Payne said that some families may choose to purchase annual memberships, allowing them to visit as many times as they want over the course of a year.

The Adventure Bay website lists an undiscounted day rate of $23 for adults, as well as children who are 42 inches in height or taller. That drops to $18 for Windsor residents.

The undiscounted day rate for children who stand less than 42 inches in height is $18. For Windsor children, this price is $13.

Pathway to Potential funding

The city issued a news release on Wednesday highlighting a program that allows eligible residents to receive up to 80 per cent off the cost of an Adventure Bay day pass.

"Families are able to opt into it and utilize it and we wanted to get the word out," said Payne.

The residents eligible for the Pathway to Potential funding discount see these prices drop substantially. A $23 admission is reduced to $4.60, for example.

But there is some paperwork involved.

"It is geared to lower-income families who qualify," she Payne, who suggests that families drop by the water park to find out what is involved.

"They will need to make sure that they bring in their proof of eligibility and residency — so some identification, they'll need to bring in the list of family members' names, immediate family members' names, but most importantly, they'll need to bring in a Canadian Child Tax Benefit and an Ontario Child Benefit Notice."

Staff can help residents fill out the paperwork, but Payne said this has to be done before a family can visit the park with a discount.

"If families show up with all the documentation and proof, we can process them right on the spot," said Payne, but that may take longer during peak times. As a result, some visitors may prefer to come in ahead of time to process their paperwork before heading to the park with their families.

Payne said there have not been many complaints from the public about the admission prices.

"I think the general public realizes that although it is a community water park … it is also an attraction and so we really haven't gotten a ton of complaints about the price of it," she said.