Lake Tye wakeboard park gets permission to launch

After months of negotiations, the Monroe City Council authorized the mayor to sign a revised concessionaire and property use agreement with H3O, the company that wants to create a cable wakeboard park at Lake Tye.

Under the new agreement, Propullsion Cablepark would break ground by Jan. 31, 2016, with phase one completion tentatively scheduled for Sept. 4, 2016.

Cable wakeboarding parks are a way for wakeboarders and water skiers to enjoy their sport without having to use a boat. Cables suspended from towers about 30 feet above the surface of the water pull riders. Riders begin on the starting dock, and as the rider's rope is hooked by the system, they are pulled up and away from the dock.

Riders are then propelled around the lake in a semicircular pattern until they either fall or arrive at the exit area. Water sports to be supported by a five-tower cable system at the park will include wakeboarding, water skiing, knee boarding and water skating. The cable system will be driven by an adjustable-speed, 37-kilowatt electric motor, and regulated by an experienced cable operator.

The project has been phased due to funding issues. Phase one will include the installation of no more than eight towers; the main five-tower system and a smaller three-tower system for beginning riders. Additionally, the first phase will construct a series of removable obstacles, including ramps, jumps and rails, a full starting dock, seating area, covered viewing area, ADA-compliant walkways and landscaping.

H3O states it needs to get the park open and operating to begin generating revenue for taking on the next phase. Once the first phase is complete, H3O will have up to five years to engage in phase two, which will include a 2,500-square-foot building for a retail and pro shop, a ticket sales booth, rental space, restrooms and a reception area. Phase two also includes bio-filtration swale improvements, a pedestrian bridge and irrigation for landscaped areas.

People will buy passes to gain admission to the park. A two-hour pass will be sold for around $30, a four-hour pass for about $35, an all-day pass for about $45 and a season pass will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $450. The cablepark will operate as a private-public partnership between H3O and the city of Monroe, with the city receiving 2 percent of the gross sales, a rental fee for the use of the property and a portion of the facility's admission tax.

The majority of the council, including councilmembers Kurt Goering, Kevin Hanford and Jim Kamp, has consistently been in favor of the park. Jason Gamble was opposed to the idea in the beginning, until he visited a cable wakeboard park in Florida during a family vacation. The experience changed his view on the idea, and he began to support the idea, he said.

Councilmembers Patsy Cudaback and Jeff Rasmussen have consistently been opposed to the park, as was Ed Davis, until earlier this year when he voted with the majority to give H3O the chance to bring its proposal to fruition.

Several sticking points surfaced during the negotiations, one of which was the matter of unpaid rent. H3O agreed to pay rent per the original contract, and is under a schedule for rental payments set to increase over time. After falling behind, H3O came before council to request relief from rent while they focused on finding a new investor.

Council wasn't willing to discuss a contract amendment until back rent was paid, and H3O complied. But they fell behind again due to a misunderstanding; the company assumed after it came current in January that rent could be withheld until contract amendments were in place.

Both Cudaback and Rasmussen said they found it unacceptable to move forward with H3O without securing payment of the back rent. Monroe City Administrator Gene Brazel said H3O plans to come current with the back rent by Feb. 1, under the amended agreement. The contract also establishes that future rent will be deferred until the park is open, and will be paid to the city through $45,000 in park vouchers.-á

Basically, said Gamble, it comes down to the fact that some are simply opposed to the idea of a cable wakeboard park at Lake Tye.

"I think that's really the underlying thing here,GÇ¥ he said. "As far as a contract that is really advantageous to the city, I think we've done that. I think we've done our due diligence.GÇ¥

Cudaback agreed with Gamble, adding it wasn't just the idea of the park that concerned her; it was also H3O's business plan and ability to follow through on the agreement.

"I really have a different vision of Lake Tye. I love Lake Tye the way it is,GÇ¥ Cudaback said. "I would like more access for residents; I would love more picnic space and an outdoor venue for music concerts. I just don't envision a wakeboard park there. It just doesn't appeal to my sense of what should be there.GÇ¥

Lake Tye is a 42-acre, 30-foot deep manmade lake. According to Propullsion Cablepark organizers, the cable-riding area will take up 30 percent of Lake Tye's water surface ' roughly 17 acres ' and cause no disruption to current events held at the lake, such as swimming and various triathlons.

Lake Tye belongs to the city and its taxpayers, Cudaback said.

"They're paying for that park,GÇ¥ she said. "They're paying hard-earned dollars for that park. This use will infringe on that.GÇ¥

For more information on Propullsion Cablepark, visit www.facebook.com/PropullsionCablepark/?fref=ts.