The newly renovated Bucky Dent Water Park has been forced to close indefinitely after Florida Department of Health officials discovered the facility was operating without a valid permit.<\/p>\n
The closure comes just five days after Mayor Bryan Calvo and city leaders celebrated the park’s reopening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.<\/p>\n
The issue was uncovered following an unrelated medical emergency at the site. Lifeguards pulled a man from the water and administered CPR before he was transported to a hospital, where he is currently recovering. City official Julio Ligorria praised the lifeguards’ actions, noting the man’s life was saved before first responders arrived.<\/p>\n
Following that incident, inspectors discovered that the water park lacked the necessary health department permit.<\/p>\n
Residents expressed frustration regarding the timeline of the closure.<\/p>\n
“I don’t understand,” said Hialeah resident Yised Casanella, who brought her sons to the park Thursday morning. “How are they even (allowed) to open? Don’t they need the permit to be actually open?”.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the City of Hialeah attributed the situation to an administrative error.<\/p>\n
“The city conducted rigorous inspection of the pools prior to opening and all required city permits were issued,” Ligorria said. “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.”<\/p>\n
The city issued an apology to residents, acknowledging that the community had been anticipating the opening of the facility following a seven-year wait.<\/p>\n