The ferris wheel at Capital Ex was operating without tension bars that help stabilize the ride until a fair-goer noticed they were missing.

George Bradford saw that the ferris wheel lacked the supports while he was on the ride with his 6-year-old son on Wednesday.

"I was looking down as we were riding around on it and I saw these what they call outriggers, or stabilizers, that expand the base of the ferris wheel, to make it more stable" he said.

George Bradford noticed the missing supports when he was riding the ferris wheel on Wednesday. (CBC)

"They were missing the horizontal component that carries all the load."

Bradford talked to staff in charge of the ride, but they said it was fine.

Bradford then contacted police who he says notified Northlands, the organization that runs Capital Ex. Staff from Northlands looked at the ride and seemed concerned, Bradford said.

Bradford finally contacted the manufacturer who told him via email that the bars should be in place. He also followed up with provincial inspectors.

Mike Derbyshire, the director of risk, safety and security for Northlands, confirmed in an email to Bradford that the horizontal tension bars were installed and thanked him for bringing the matter to his attention.

"After consultation with inspectors from North American Midway and the provincial government, your suggestion about installing the horizontal tension bars was immediately acted upon," Derbyshire wrote.

"The bars that you described have been installed and are currently in place."

George Bradford took this photo of the ferris wheel without the horizontal supports. (Courtesy of George Bradford )

Tony Diaz, a manager with North American Midway, showed CBC News the support bars on Thursday evening. However, he insisted that people who rode the ferris wheel were always safe.

"We're not saying that it shouldn't have been in, but we're saying that it is a secondary support," Diaz said.

Although the bars are now installed, Bradford is concerned he had to talk to a dozen people to make sure the problem was fixed.

"I'm just a guy with a kid at the fair," he said. "That's not my role."

Bradford wants stricter procedures to make sure this type of thing doesn't happen again.

"Until that happens, I'm not taking my kid to the fair," he said.