WATCH ABOVE: Some people who bought tickets for the Slide the City event are upset after learning they aren’t getting what they paid for. Global’s Tony Tighe reports.
CALGARY – Changes to the rules surrounding an enormous slip-and-slide coming to Calgary next month are causing outrage among some ticket holders.
The 300 meter-long waterslide is part of a travelling event called Slide the City, and will be set up in Kensington on August 1st and 2nd.
Tickets for the sold-out event were available in three levels; a single slider pass, a triple slider pass and an unlimited slider pass. Those who purchased the most expensive option – the unlimited slider pass – are seeing red.
Originally, the ‘unlimited’ pass offered sliders exclusive access to the waterslide an hour before it opened and an hour after it closed – as well as the ability to slide down the soapy wet vinyl as many times as desired.
This week, however, ticket holders were informed the rules have changed. The ‘unlimited’ access riders now have a specific ‘wave time’ they must adhere to.
Reaction to the ticket change brought the company swift criticism on its Facebook page, where angry customers complained they were no longer getting what they paid for.
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Slide the City told Global News it was forced to restrict slide times to accommodate everyone safely and denies overselling tickets to the event.
“Looking at all of the calculations we have of how many people we can get down the slide and more importantly the number people we can get safely down the slide, we’ve realized wave times are the best way to go so people aren’t waiting in line too long and get all the rides they registered for,” said company spokesperson Amy Gesso.
Anyone who isn’t able to slide during their assigned time is able to apply for a refund by emailing calgaryrefund@slidethecity.com
The Calgary office of Service Alberta is now investigating the company for possible violations of the Fair Trading Act. Anyone who feels they were misled or did not get what they paid for should contact the Consumer Contact Centre at 1-877-427-4088 or online.
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