A new water park in Hialeah was closed on Wednesday due to what the city says is a pending health department permit.
Bucky Dent Water Park had just reopened on July 31 after a seven-year closure. But on Wednesday, a pink notice from the Florida Department of Health greeted visitors at the door.
The notice reads: “This pool is NOT in compliance with Florida Statue 514 and Florida Administrative Code 64E-9 and may endanger the health, safety or welfare of persons using this facility.” Underneath the main message, a box for “operation without a valid permit” is checked.
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Bucky Dent Water Park had just reopened on July 31 after seven years. But on Wednesday, a pink notice from the Florida Department of Health greeted visitors at the door.
On Tuesday, an 80-year-old guest suffered a medical a emergency at the pool, according to the city. Mayor Bryan Calvo commended the swift action of lifeguards, and the facility was closed temporarily “out of an abundance of caution” as officials reviewed their safety and security standards.
On Thursday, the city issued a statement saying the current closure and the medical emergency were not related. It reads:
“Tuesday’s incident involving an 80-year-old park guest was a medical emergency completely unrelated to park operations or conditions. Thanks to the swift and professional actions of our well-trained lifeguards, the person’s life was saved before first responders arrived. The city conducted rigorous inspection of the pools prior to opening and all required city permits were issued. Due to an oversight in filling out a form, the health department permit is still pending approval. We are moving swiftly to reopen the pool once it is issued. We apologize to our residents as we know everyone was very excited to enjoy the brand new pool after the seven year wait.”