Husky Energy oil spill takes the fun out of summer in Prince Albert, Sask.
Water slides, pools and splash pads shut down
It's hot in Prince Albert, and with tight water restrictions in place, there's little relief.
The kids are pretty hot.- Merinda Callen
While much of the talk in the wake of the Husky Energy spill has been about drinking water, the city's mayor has identified another important issue.
"Lots of our population can't afford to go to a cabin at the lake or water-skiing, so our water slides and our pools and everything, our water complex, is their summer holidays," said Greg Dionne on Tuesday.
All the fun stuff is shut down, because water is now precious in the city.
Thirteen-year-old Isaac Knise offered this concise observation.
"It's just not even good man."
'Some can't simply pack up and go to the lake'
It could be awhile until it gets good.
There's no guarantee that the water slide, the pools, or the splash pads will open once the temporary water line is connected, and it could be months before the oil is cleaned from the North Saskatchewan River, Prince Albert's permanent source for drinking water.
"It's sad for the kids, that's all they got, some kids, is the water park and they can't afford to go, they got no cabins and stuff," said resident Greg Rydde.
It could be a long hot summer in Prince Albert, for children, and their parents.
"We are unable to go to the paddling pools or to the sprinkler parks and we can't fill up our pool in the backyard, so the kids are pretty hot," said a frustrated Merinda Challen.