Waterpark Operators Court Wildomar, Lake Elsinore

As a Lake Elsinore waterpark moves forward, Wildomar residents recently got two opportunities to hear about a similar park for their city.

But concerns about water have bubbled to the surface.

“I’m not entirely against this project, but I am concerned about the water,” said Wildomar resident Sharon Carter, who lives near the proposed Wildomar project site that’s bordered by the 15 Freeway, Baxter Road, and Kilarney Lane.

During a Jan. 11 Wildomar City Council meeting, John Clemmons of California Cable Board Park presented his team’s early-stage plans for a Wildomar wakeboarding park, otherwise known as a “cable ski park.” Clemmons and his team presented the same plans again to the Wildomar Planning Commission on Jan. 18. The public was invited to both meetings. (Click here to read the full proposal presented during the Jan. 11 City Council meeting.)

According to the plans, the Wildomar cable ski park would operate like a chairlift on a mountain, using a cable suspended on towers and propelled by powered motors to pull water skiers and wakeboarders around a manmade lake, according to the plans presented. Such parks are common in Europe and Asia, but few exist in the United States and there are none in California, according to Clemmons.

In addition to waterskiing and wakeboarding, the Wildomar park has proposed amenities such as an 18-hole putting course and an underground tunnel.

But Wildomar Planning Director Matthew Bassi made clear that his city has only received a pre-application for the proposed park, and it is unclear when and if future plans will be received.

Bassi said it’s also unclear where the water for the manmade lake would come from.

During both meetings, some Wildomar residents expressed concern that tapping into the existing underground water supply to access the approximately 200 million gallons of water needed for the manmade lake would drain wells. To quell concerns, during the Jan. 18 Planning Commission meeting Clemmons said his team is in discussion with Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District to access the water, but there are no agreements in place.

Similar Projects Touted For Lake Elsinore and San Diego

Speaking by phone on Jan. 11, Clemmons said he and Menifee-based Sudweeks Development had been working on opening a similar cable ski and wakeboard attraction at the Santee Lakes in East County San Diego, but last March the project was formally taken off the table.

In 2008 Padre Dam, which operates the Santee Lakes, entered into an agreement with Sudweeks to develop and operate the park, with an anticipated opening date of spring 2011. Sudweeks was unable to proceed with the project, however, and requested a settlement. Padre Dam officials said in a released statement that lack of financing was a major factor behind the project’s demise.

During the Jan. 18 Wildomar Planning Commission meeting, some Wildomar residents questioned why the project’s proponents are proposing Wildomar as a venue for the cable ski park w

Speaking by phone last week, California Cable Parks’ Scott Towsley said the Lake Elsinore project is definitely moving forward. He said the project has passed the California Environmental Quality Act process and is awaiting a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers.

“We’re very confident that we’re getting the permit,” he said, explaining that the application has been filed. While other permits will be needed down the road, Towsley said he doesn’t see anything that would stop the project – not even funding.

“We have the money,” he said.

Towsley said he was hoping for a 2012 spring or summer opening, but said next winter is looking more realistic. Despite a possible off-season start, he said, “Whenever we get the final permit in hand, we’ll open.”