Expect Alottawata in the forecast for 2012, official says.
A similar Tornado slide will be one of the featured attractions when the Alottawata Water Park opens just off of Moodie Drive, north of Brophy Drive, in June 2012.
Submitted photo
With the usual sweltering summer temperatures ripping through the city, people around the Barrhaven area should be happy to know there will be some relief coming – eventually.
After delays in construction, the Alottawata Water Park will open off of Moodie Drive, just north of Brophy Drive, by June 2012.
The park will be home to over 10 unique rides and a 3,000-square metre wave pool on nearly 40 hectares of land.
Rick Hunter, president and CEO of the Ottawa-based company ProSlide Technologies that owns the land and the designs and equipment for the rides, knows Alottawata will be a lot of fun for everyone.
“We’re going to have a mix of rides that are going to be absolutely world-leading,” Hunter said, adding the Tornado 60 and an on-grade river would be included. “We’re not playing our hand… but we’re going to have a mix of rides that are second to none in this area.”
ProSlide – which also owns Mont Cascades 30 kilometres north of Ottawa – was originally supposed to open Alottawata in 2009, but pushed back its opening until 2010.
Hunter said the economic crisis and last summer’s rainy weather put a damper on construction until 2012.
“There was some really bad weather,” Hunter said. “We lost that season in terms of building.”
Since Hunter believes Hunt Club and Greenbank roads represent the centre of the city, Alottawata is in the perfect location, especially in the wake of Calypso water park opening 35 kilometres east of the city this summer.
“This is an unbelievable location,” he said, adding that water-park visits are very spontaneous. “That’s why we’re so bullish on it.”
The 25-year-old company has had its technology used at such places as Disneyworld in Florida and at the Beijing Water Cube, where the swimming events were housed at the 2008 Olympic Games.
Therefore Hunter decided to take a wait-and-see approach when it came to following Calypso’s opening, especially when he knew Alottawata would be built no matter what.
“People are going to build their stuff anyway,” Hunter said, adding that he still presently has Mont Cascades to compete in the area with Calypso. “There was a little bit of eye-brow testing going on in terms of who’s going to open first.
“It never hurts to know what people are offering, does it? We know what we’re doing with our water-park designs and layouts.”
Hunter acknowledged the disappointment local residents have had with the delays, but he believes it will be worth the wait.
Right now Mont Cascades is offering a $10 entrance fee for all patrons because of a 20th anniversary promotion, and an adult day pass at Calypso is $30.97.
Hunter wasn’t willing to commit to prices for Alottawata yet, but said he is “committed to family value” and that they would almost certainly be cheaper than Calypso.
It’s all part of Alottawata’s plan to attract a lot of people.
“A water park done well,” Hunter said, “never stops growing.”
daniel.bowman@metroland.com