New "Theme Park" for Toronto, Canada

[PCW_Nut]

This sounds more like an indoor waterpark to me but exciting regardless.

 

Taken from http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2014/03/18/60m_theme_park_proposed_for_toronto_area_would_offer_summer_365_days_a_year.html

 

Developers say they expect a new Greater Toronto Area theme park designed to offer summer 365 days a year will be up and running by the fall of 2016.

 

 

The 9,300-square-metre attraction will offer sandy beaches, wave pools, cabanas, restaurants, lazy rivers, vendors and live entertainment.

 

 

Developers say the $60 million indoor/outdoor complex is designed to fill a void in the GTA’s tourism market, and will be equipped with a retractable roof, allowing it to operate every day of the year.

 

 

Apart from the new Ripley’s Aquarium, they point out that there haven’t been any new attractions in the GTA since Canada’s Wonderland 30 years ago.

 

 

The site of the massive complex is still undetermined, but has been narrowed to the three locations and developers of the MarbleLive project say they’re in talks with officials in Mississauga and Toronto.

 

 

They say they’re looking for a location that offers the easiest access for tourists as well as finding an ideal site for local residents.

 

 

“We’re trying to build a crown jewel so the location really matters,” said Toronto entrepreneur John Barrack, a managing partner of MarbleLive.

 

 

“After you go through the winter that we just went through you realize that you really need to give people of all ages something to do in the winter,” said Barrack.

 

 

Mark Bishop, a co-CEO at MarbleLive, said their research has found that Canadians are looking for more things to do in their own backyards.

 

 

“The challenge we face as people who live in this area (GTA) is that there really isn’t a lot to do,” said Bishop.

 

 

Once fully operational, the theme park is expected to employ 230 full time personnel and attract more than 500,000 visitors within its first year of operation.

 

 

Here is a link to the developer working on this project. You can see rendering of some of their work or proposed work. http://www.marblelive.com/

[chemical_echo]

I still wish the Ontario government would have given management and operation control of Ontario Place to a company like Legoland or Nickelodeon. Would kept it a viable tourist destination in downtown Toronto with many rides and infrastructure already in place.

 

This still sounds like it could be exciting and I'm interested to see what it could look like. I'd love something like Calypso down this way.

[beatle11]

Indoor water parks like this always seem to do well, and there isn't really anything in the area like it. Seems hard to screw this one up.

[chemical_echo]

Depends where they put it.

For maximum return, they should put it where it's easily accessible by transit (ie - somewhere near a TTC route and not Mississauga)

[1pizza14]

Both indoor waterparks in Niagara do very well, especially in the winter months. With a large population in Toronto and not much to do in the winter (attractions wise) I think this park will do extremely well... of course I look forward to visiting too

[PCW_Nut]

Seems they are already having issues about where to place the park.

 

Taken from http://www.cp24.com/news/kelly-casts-doubt-on-proposed-theme-park-site-1.1734035

 

A massive $60 million indoor/outdoor theme park is being touted for the Toronto area but the project is only an idea at this point and could be years from completion, Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly says.

Kelly made the comment at city hall Tuesday morning after a report surfaced that the 9,300-square-metre facility could be up and running by the fall of 2016.

“Right now it is just an idea and it is a terrific idea but where do you put it?” he said. “I talked with the proponents back in January and their ideal location would be Exhibition Place or Ontario Place but we are going to be cramming a lot into Exhibition Place, especially when we expand BMO Field. It is a great idea and that would be a super location but is it the right fit?”

 

Park would be open year-round

 

Developers of the MarbleLive project told the Canadian Press that the facility will be equipped with a retractable roof, allowing it to operate 365 days a year.

Some of the proposed features include sandy beaches, wave pools, cabanas, restaurants and lazy rivers.

“We're trying to build a crown jewel so the location really matters," Managing Partner of MarbleLive John Barrack said. “After you go through the winter that we just went through you realize that you really need to give people of all ages something to do in the winter.”

Ontario Place has been partially closed since February 2012, as the province works to transform the government-owned facility into a year-round site and it is unclear whether the powers that be would be receptive to building another amusement park on the 96-acre lakefront property.

Currently, the province is implementing the first phase of its plan for the site by converting a large parking lot into a new urban park and waterfront trail .

Speaking with reporters at city hall, Coun. Doug Ford said he thinks the proposed theme park would be “fabulous” for the city but would make more sense along the Port Lands, which is largely undeveloped and has been subject to years of political back and forth over its future.

“It is some of the most valuable land in the country and it is just vacant,” he said.

Mayor Rob Ford was asked about the proposed theme park as he left his office Tuesday morning, but refused comment.

 

 

Read more: http://www.cp24.com/news/kelly-casts-doubt-on-proposed-theme-park-site-1.1734035#ixzz2wKfLiKFc

[booink]

Happy to learn Canada might see another Theme Park beeing built, even if it looks more like a waterpark than a rides-n-coasters park (from the description). Wish there's going to be a few park-like rides too, because if there's not I probably won't do the 7 hours drive from Montreal to visit until I go back to CW.