BoardRider Engagement
The City of Wetaskiwin is seeking feedback from Wetaskiwinites on the future of the BoardRider.
What is the BoardRider?
The BoardRider is an indoor surf simulator at the Manluk Centre: Regional Aquatics & Fitness Centre. When the Manluk Centre opened its doors in 2014, it was the first surf simulator in Western Canada.
What happened to the BoardRider?
In 2020, the BoardRider was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the holding tank where its turbines are housed, was drained. When the Manluk Centre was fully reopened in 2022, the turbines would not start. An engineer from Murphy’s Waves inspected the unit and was unsuccessful in getting the BoardRider operational, confirming that the turbines were fully seized. In June 2023, City Council directed Administration to investigate repair or replacement options for the BoardRider.
What are our options?
The following options were presented to City Council at the Monday, February 12, regular meeting.
Option | Advantages | Disadvantages | Estimated Cost |
| Option 1: Repurpose the space to accommodate an indoor splash pad/children's play area | • Potential for increased programming at the Manluk Centre. • Potential to market the feature as a regional asset and have the admission for the feature included with general admission to increase overall revenues for the centre. • The plumbing system would be separate from the other pools and therefore wouldn't be impacted by contaminations or mechanical issues in the leisure pool and competition pool. | • Cost (including construction, ongoing maintenance and capital costs, and staff wages to oversee the feature). | $850,000–900,000 + GST |
| Option 2: Repurpose the space to accommodate a teach pool | • Potential for increased programming at the Manluk Centre • Additional space for swimming lessons that wouldn't disrupt public swim or other programming scheduled in the leisure pool. • The plumbing system would be separate from the other pools and therefore wouldn't be impacted by contaminations or mechanical issues in the leisure pool and competition pool. • Possibility for sponsorship revenue. | • Cost (including construction, ongoing maintenance and capital costs, and staff wages to oversee the additional pool space). | $850,000–900,000 + GST |
| Option 3: Repair the BoardRider (have the turbines removed and inspected) | • Lower cost compared to Options 1 and 2. • Potential to market the BoardRider as a regional asset and have the admission for the feature included with general admission to increase overall revenues for the centre. • Possibility for sponsorship revenue. | • Historically, the Board Rider has only generated approximately $10,000 in revenue per year. • The BoardRider is only suitable for those 8 years and older. • Cost (including repair, ongoing maintenance and capital costs, and staff wages to operate the feature). | • $11,000 + GST to have the turbines removed and inspected • Once inspected, the repair cost is estimated to be between $10,000 and $200,000, depending on the damage. • If the inspection reveals that full replacement is necessary, full replacement cost of the BoardRider is approximately $1,000,000. |
| Option 4: Permanently close the BoardRider and use the area for on-deck storage | • Lower cost than Options 1, 2, and 3. | • The turbines will still need to be removed. • Closing the feature permanently and not replacing it with something else could be viewed negatively by the community. | Approximately $3,000 for permanent fencing, plus the cost of having the turbines removed ($11,000). |
PLEASE NOTE: regardless of the outcome of this survey, all capital decisions regarding funding for the BoardRider will come back to Council through the 2025 budget process. This survey is intended to inform Administration which operational business case the community would like presented to Council during the budget deliberation process.
Deadline for feedback
City Council directed Administration to conduct a community survey ahead of the 2025 budget cycle. The survey will be open until Friday, May 31, 2024. After the results have been gathered, they will be presented to City Council in a report at a June 2024 regular meeting.