TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Two of Manhattan’s waterparks are scheduled to be open this summer.
City Park and Northview waterparks, along with the splash park in City Park, are scheduled to be open by May 22.
In early 2020, the City of Manhattan made budget cuts to programs and implemented a hiring freeze due to the pandemic. The hiring freeze was lifted in November when Federal funding was received, but not all open positions have been filled. For that reason, the City does not expect the waterpark at CiCo Park to be open for the summer.
According to City Manager Ron Fehr, Manhattan is facing “staffing and infrastructure challenges in many departments, including the Parks Division Technicians who are critical to opening and operating the pools water chemistry, pumps, filters and other components to ensure safe water multiple times a day.”
The City is currently looking to hire 125 individuals to staff the two waterparks this summer, including lifeguards, swim coaches and cashiers. Applications can be found here.
The City will also be implementing special protocol at the waterparks to make sure guests stay safe. This will likely mean limiting attendance. When those plans are finalized, they will be available online at https://www.mhkprd.com/.
“The goal is to open as many resources for recreation as possible this summer, including two of the three waterparks, while doing so safely and responsibly,” said Aquatics Division Supervisor Sydni Baker. “We’ll do everything we can to make the waterparks safe for everyone who wants to visit.”
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