Parks commission approves sending AquaGlide inflatable park proposal for Regner Beach to common council

West Bend City’s Parks and Recreation Commission voted June 27 to send a proposal to the common council to install a large AquaGlide inflatable course at Regner Beach for the 2025 season.

The proposal presented by Recreation staff member Ryan outlines a park-sized inflatable course roughly 142 by 135 feet with a working capacity of up to 145 users at once, a quoted price of about $145,000 for the inflatables and associated equipment, and estimated pond dredging costs of $50,000. Ryan said the total anticipated project cost is about $210,000 and would include life jackets, pumps and shipping.

Commissioners heard that the inflatables would replace the existing swim raft, require slightly deeper water (the pond is currently about 14 feet, 7 inches at its deepest and would need to reach roughly 15 feet), and would add features described in the proposal as high-entry platforms, slides and a patented lubrication/spray system AquaGlide calls the “monsoon” system.

Ryan said staff plans to pursue several funding sources if the council approves the project: $32,000 from the recreation summer lunch program balance, a committed $25,000 from the West Bend Friends of Parks and Recreation, two pending community civic group commitments totalling $60,000 (each structured as $30,000 spread over two years), potential proceeds from a swim raft sale (estimated at a minimum of $5,000), and other donations. He said staff may consider an internal loan or additional enterprise-account transfers only if donations and other revenues fall short.

Officials described expected operating changes: the recreation enterprise would need an additional beach-house attendant (bringing the count from two to three attendants) to manage life-jacket fittings and rentals, and modest increases in lifeguard staffing would be covered within existing lifeguard schedules. Ryan and other staff projected higher revenues in 2025 from increased inflatable-zone fees (a proposed $8 per user for 2025, up from $4 in 2024) and greater concession sales tied to higher attendance. Staff presented conservative attendance assumptions (47% of capacity in projections) and showed examples of comparable facilities charging much higher per-person fees.

On equipment lifespan and warranty, staff said the manufacturer’s defect warranty is three years and, per AquaGlide’s president, the typical useful life with proper maintenance is commonly five to seven years. Ryan said routine winter storage and cleaning would be required to maximize longevity.

Commission discussion included operations, safety, and reservation policies. The commission asked whether lifeguard sightlines and lifeguard platforms were included; Ryan pointed out elevated lifeguard platforms in the concept drawings. Commissioners also discussed session length and ticketing; staff indicated they would keep two-hour sessions for 2025 (the model used in 2024) while exploring the possibility of all-day passes or reserved party blocks in the future through the RecTrak registration system.

After discussion, the commission chair moved to approve taking the AquaGlide proposal to the common council for consideration; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

Staff said they will notify commissioners and plan to present the item to the common council as soon as scheduling allows.

The commission’s approval is a recommendation to the common council; any contract award, borrowing or final budget appropriation would require council action.