REDLAND city may soon be home to a water park after council decided to investigate the idea at its meeting on Wednesday.
Division six councillor Julie Talty asked for a report on the cost and types of water parks that council could build along its foreshore.
She fended off initial criticism a water park would be too costly and received backing from councillors Alan Beard and Mark Edwards and the council's chief executive Bill Lyon, who waded into the debate telling the meeting there was merit in a full investigation.
The report, eventually supported by all 11 councillors, will include a run down on what facilities are available in surrounding council areas and outline options from "the Rolls-Royce version to the sprinkler in the back garden".
It will also give an overall view of the cost of building, running, outsourcing or maintaining a water play area but won't include enhancing existing natural features.
Cr Talty, accused of using the issue as an election sweetener by Division 10 councillor Paul Bishop, said parents were often asking her about a water playground to save them driving to Wynnum, Brisbane or the Gold Coast.
But opposing councillors said instead of spending large sums on building and maintaining expensive water parks, all that was required would be enhancing foreshores with natural water swimming enclosures and play equipment.
Division 2 councillor Craig Ogilvie said water parks were extremely expensive to build and maintain - especially as the city has its own natural water parks along its foreshore.
He said money would be better spent building netted swimming enclosures at the city's beaches and said he had called for a report which was due to be completed last year.
Cr Ogilvie suggested the report should also assess commercially-run mobile inflatable water slides similar to those at Coolum and The Spit at the Gold Coast.
Division 7 councillor Murray Elliott said a water park would "blow the budget sky-high" especially after the council "gagged" on spending money on maintenance for the Cleveland pool.
A 2013 report to council, partly funded by a donation from the Redlands Foundation, ruled out building a water playground at Raby Bay due to high costs of maintaining and building.
Mr Lyon said he spoke with Brisbane council chief executive Colin Jensen about Brisbane's two water parks at Wynnum and Seventeen Mile Rocks and was told the high costs were outweighed by a "massive economic boon" to both areas.
"I think there is some merit and at least it gives you guys some information and it wouldn't be costly because other councils will give us access to information."
