Lifeguard Shortage Led To Revenue Loss For Lacey’s Wibit Park

LACEY, NJ — Officials announced that revenue from Lacey’s inflatable water park was down this year, attributing the loss to a shortage of lifeguards that closed the park on several days.

Revenue from the Wibit totaled $84,000 this year, down from the record-setting $91,000 it earned in 2019.

“We would have beat it this year, but for our governor’s unemployment policy where our recreation department manager Mr. Wioland said he had to go nine days just closed because he couldn’t get the help for the lifeguards to be there to run the Wibit,” Mayor Peter Curatolo said during a recent council meeting.

The floating playground opened on Lake Barnegat in June 2019 and operates seasonally. The Wibit is closed until next summer. It costs $10 per session for Lacey Township residents and $15 per session for non-Lacey Township residents.

Curatolo called the Wibit a "revenue draw" for the township, businesses and food trucks in the area.

Lacey Township is the only municipality in Ocean County to have a Wibit, which prompts other townships to send their summer camps to the park.

“It was certainly a good move on this committee to have that because it’s in good shape,” Curatolo said. “I’m hopeful we can get the help next year, but as James (Wioland) tells me, it’s difficult in many municipalities to get lifeguards, and that’s unfortunate,” Curatolo said.

Nearby, Manahawkin Lake also experienced a lifeguard shortage this past summer, which delayed the date it reopened for swimming and closed it on several days in August.

Further south, an Ocean City water park had to reduce its hours and close its lazy river attraction before the end of the season due to staffing challenges.

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