BY JENN McDOWELL

The new water park planned for Candia, Liquid Planet, may have another kind of liquid besides water – the kind that requires a license for the establishment.

A brochure distributed at Candia’s Old Home Day announced the business will include a state liquor-licensed cabana, raising a few eyebrows.

Kevin Dumont, who is heading the $4 million project with the help of several investors, got the final blessing on building Liquid Planet at a Planning Board meeting Wednesday, Sept. 5.

Prior to that meeting, board Chairman Mary Girard called him with concerns about having liquor at the establishment.

“I guess to her it seemed like a weird marriage,” he said.

Girard said she changed her mind after learning that other water parks and similar children’s establishments in the state serve alcohol.

“I didn’t understand that other water parks have this,” Girard said. “I think as long as it’s controlled, it will be all right.”

Dumont brought John Tracy, part owner of The Whale’s Tale   water park in Lincoln, to the meeting to vouch for the idea in front of the board.

Tracy said a lot of amusement parks, including water parks, have liquor licenses.

The Whale’s Tale serves alcohol to its adult customers, but Tracy said only products with lower alcohol content are used, and customers must stay in a designated area where staff can monitor their consumption.

Whale’s Tail has been in business for 20 years, and has never had any drinking-related issues, said Tracy.

Tracy added that while he understands the safety concerns some Candia residents may have, the liquor license Dumont is trying to get will be so heavily restricted it would be highly unlikely that any issues would arise from drunk customers.

“All the parks, whether it’s Busch Gardens or Magic Kingdom, they all have restrictions,” Tracy said.

Canobie Lake Park in Salem, which now has a large water park section, serves alcohol in its restaurants, and patrons cannot leave the building with a drink in their hand.

A representative from Water Country who wished to remain anonymous said Water Country does not serve alcohol.

Girard said there wasn’t much discussion on the issue at the meeting.

“Nobody seemed to have a big problem with it,” she said.

She added she did not feel Dumont was trying to keep his plans to obtain the license a secret, but that he was simply going through the correct channels with the state first.

“Kevin wants to be a good neighbor to the town. We think he’s going to build a nice place and do a good job,” Girard said.

Dumont pointed out that liquor licensing is a state issue that is not left to the Planning Board’s consideration.

“It isn’t something that they can vote up or down on,” Dumont said. “It’s really not appropriate to even be mentioned at a Planning Board meeting. That was the misconception of some of the town folks and some of the Planning Board members,” he added.

Planning Board member Susi  Nord, who is also a state representative, backed up Dumont’s point at the meeting that the board does not have a say in whether or not he applies for the liquor license.

After the license is obtained, Dumont said, the town will have an opportunity to discuss it, but even then will not be able to force the idea out of the total plans, which will include four slides, a “sprayground,” an Olympic-sized pool, a snack bar and a gift shop.

Contrary to reports, Dumont said a restaurant will not be included in the plans, and he does not need to have one in order to obtain the license.

“I think we’re going to have a little cabana that sells it, and then have a little segregated area where people can sit and drink the alcohol,” Dumont said, adding that the area would be gated and staff-monitored.

“It would make sense that parents aren’t going to go to a water park and get sloshed,” he said, adding that parents must be held repsonsible for their drinking habits. The notion that there are some parents who may be irresponsible about it should not prevent him from selling alcohol, he said.

Liquid Planet is slated to open in June 2008, liquor or not, according to Dumont. Site work is already completed, and workers will begin installing the foundation, septic system and driveway in October.