Water Park Founder Chains Himself to Water Slide to Protest Foreclosure

CANDIA, NH -- The founder of a New Hampshire water park has chained himself to one of the company’s slides in an effort to keep his business from being auction off next month, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Kevin Dumont of Candia, a part owner and founder of the Liquid Planet Water Park, is hoping to find a partner to pay off $1.6 million in bank debt he owes before a foreclosure auction in December. Yesterday, he set up a tent on top of one of the largest slides and will camp out in the park until he is able to raise the money.

In a post on company’s Facebook fan site, Dumont, a veteran, asked park fans to spread the word. He added that he wasn’t looking for a handout but “a person, group of people or a company that would partner with me, pay off the bank and save yet another small business from failing.” Dumont is also asking supporters of the park to use the hashtag #SaveLiquidPlanet on their social media posts.

“I’m not crazy,” he noted. “I am doing this in a last ditch effort to save all that I have created.”

According to the report, the park, which has been in business since 2008, had about 35,000 visitors this year even though it was closed in August by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office due to E. Coli samplings and lack of design approvals on the largest slide he is now chained to. The park re-opened after discovering the water test problems. He stated that recent deaths in his family had set him back but he was attempting to work with the bank to save the company. Dumont’s home is also located on the more than 40-acre parcel that will be auctioned off unless an investor is found.

Read the full story on UnionLeader.com.

Captions: Liquid Planet Water Park founder Kevin Dumont has chained himself to one of the water slides at his Candia park in an effort to save his business from foreclosure. Jason Schreiber/New Hampshire Union Leader