Despite worries that high waters had ruined any chance of opening 琉璃神社鈥檚 Wibit floating play structure, operators say they鈥檙e waiting on word from city hall to set the structure up as early as July 1.

For operators of 琉璃神社鈥檚 and Penticton鈥檚 Wibit parks, there鈥檚 a particular piece of business that the family-run company has lost after delaying opening by a couple of weeks.

鈥淥ne aspect of our business that we have lost out on this year is last year we had a quite a few school group come down for their end-of-the-year school parties,鈥� added Randy Gallagher, who runs the Penticton park. 鈥淪o that business has been non-existent for us this year.鈥�

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But otherwise the parks don鈥檛 tend to get too much business in June, anyway, according to Randy鈥檚 son, Rylie, who runs the 琉璃神社 park.

鈥淚f we install earlier, we find it鈥檚 fairly slow until the school holidays begin,鈥� he said.

Rylie noted, however, that he had turned away a few groups who had been looking to head to the 琉璃神社 Wibit park for their end-of-year parties.

In Penticton the Wibit park is opening up on Saturday, which is pretty much on schedule, according to Randy.

鈥淲e鈥檙e surprised at how much beach we have in Penticton across from Salties, by the SS Sicamous. The water is receding quite a bit, there,鈥� Randy said. 鈥淣ever fast enough, but at least it鈥檚 receding to the point we鈥檙e able to put our park in.鈥�

To provide more accessibility to the park, Randy said they鈥檝e added a new inflatable bridge, so people don鈥檛 need to swim as far.

But in 琉璃神社, Rylie says he鈥檚 got July 1 set for opening, granting approval from the city, which needs to take down tiger dams along the beaches.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still working with the city to try and make sure that we鈥檙e good to go in. A far as we know and what we鈥檝e heard from the city is we鈥檙e okay to open July 1,鈥� he said.

鈥淲e鈥檝e inspected the area ourselves in 琉璃神社 at our location. It does look accessible and it looks just fine, but they do have protective measures in place.鈥�

If, in fact, the Wibit does open for July 1, it will have dodged a bullet that claimed the Canada Day fireworks set for that evening, which were on the lake.

The Gallaghers said they typically open up the 琉璃神社 Wibit park in the middle of June, which means about a two-week delayed opening if the park opens over the long weekend.

鈥淪o, as our other parks open up on the same lake, we would hope that we can follow our schedule for the 琉璃神社 opening,鈥� Rylie said.

鈥淲e have it pushed back a little bit already, but we鈥檙e hoping to hear the final word today or tomorrow to confirm our installation dates.鈥�

Randy says the area where the 琉璃神社 Wibit park typically goes in was 鈥渞elatively unaffected,鈥� though tiger dams are still in place at that area.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 make waves or anything like that, and our anchors are already in, so it鈥檚 just a matter of the city giving us the green light,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think the City of 琉璃神社 is very anxious to get their beaches open for the summer, so the highers-up will make that decision, and as soon as we get the green light, we鈥檒l be putting our 琉璃神社 park in.鈥�

The Gallaghers say the Peachland Wibit park will be opening for sure by July 1 for its first year.

With 20 years operating Pier Water Sports under his belt, George Bishop says he鈥檚 never seen anything like the issues he and other watersport companies are facing with this year鈥檚 high waters.

鈥淣ever. Never,鈥� Bishop said. 鈥淣ever would have expected it, either.鈥�

Typically opening on the May long weekend, Bishop says he鈥檚 finally getting to open up for business on Saturday, over a month late.

鈥淎ny damage to the shorelines around here has already been done. The lake has gone down, the sandbags are in place to protect whatever else is there,鈥� Bishop said. 鈥淪o, we鈥檙e going to open up and just ask our customers to stay in the middle of the lake and avoid anywhere near the shoreline.鈥�

Bishop鈥檚 business offers pontoon boats, ski boats, kayaks, paddleboards and personal watercraft, which he said he鈥檇 be opening up this weekend. But he said he鈥檇 be holding off opening up parasailing boats and banana boat rides until next weekend.

Over a month late to opening his business, Bishop said the delay stings, but watersports often don鈥檛 get too busy until after school is out for summer, anyway.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 been able to do any business, so it鈥檚 definitely hurting us. So it鈥檚 time we open right now and kind of recoup what we鈥檝e lost.鈥�