New Bedford Water Park Finally Set to Open

Chairman of the New Bedford Park Board Peter Boswell has said the Altitude H2O water park is doing a "soft opening" this Saturday. Jonathan Carvalho, Public Information Officer for the City of New Bedford, confirmed it as well.

The inflatable water park was put into the water back on June 21, but has sat idle since then after it was learned the City had not gone through the proper permitting process. The water park is a public-private partnership between the Park Board and the Texas-based private company Altitude H20. The director of the Park Board, Mary Rapoza, has admitted to failing to get the proper approval of the city's Conservation Commission.

On Friday afternoon, Park Board Chairman Peter Boswell, a retired city firefighter, said that the water park will be opening on Saturday. He also stated that a "heritage" study will override the Conservation Commission.

Craig Dixon, the Chairman of the Conservation Commission, assured the City on July 2 at a meeting of his commission that the water park would not open until the Conservation Commission had had an opportunity to study the environmental impact of the ocean-based water park. The next meeting of the Conservation Commission will be next Tuesday, a few days after the water park has had its "soft opening."