City of Sunrise first Caribbean-American commissioner, Mark Douglas, is adamant in his opposition to the city building a water park estimated to cost $10 million in that city.
At a commission meeting held on Tuesday night, Douglas told the commission the $10 million which would be raised as a loan for city residents through a public bond issue could be spent on areas where it was better needed.
The commission has a proposal carried over from the former commission in 2015/16 to build the water park as part of a plan to construct a new 5-floor city hall and 800-space garage estimated to cost $42 million in another two years. The water park would be a part of the complex. It would include rides, slides and other recreational facilities primarily for children.
In an interview with National Weekly Douglas said his opposition to the water park isn’t anything new. He said when during his 2016 campaign to be elected to the Sunrise commission he made his opposition to the water park well known, and “Over 16,000 residents voted for me to sit on the commission.” He said during his campaign several residents expressed agreement with his opposition to the park.
“A water park is not needed in the city, at this time. There are four other water parks relatively near to Sunrise in Broward County which residents have access to,” he said. He also cited in addition to these other water parks a major $70 million water park is being planned to be built in Fort Lauderdale.
Douglas also said he’s concerned the competition from the existing parks, the park planned for Fort Lauderdale and another large water park planned for the mega-mall planned for Miami-Dade County, could deplete revenue for the proposed Sunrise water park. “This would necessitate the commission having to meet any operating loss the water park incurs, plus the cost of maintaining it year-round. Moreover, water parks in Florida are closed six months of the year. During this period, there’ll be no revenue, while the property still has to be maintained.’
“If the city is going to raise funds through a loan from residents, I believe the funds must be spent efficiently,” Douglas said. Asked what he regarded as an alternative way of spending the $10 million, he offered building affordable housing and street lighting improvement in East Sunrise. “As a commissioner I have a responsibility to see the city’s funds are spent where it’s really needed,” Douglas reiterated.
