Niagara Adventure Excursions Inc. partners with Kool Replay to offer its zipline guests innovative zipline photo and video services.

For immediate release

Niagara Falls, Canada, March 13th, 2024 — Niagara Adventure Excursions Inc. has partnered with Canadian company, Kool Replay Picture and Video Systems (Kool Replay), to offer immersive and unique photo and video products to its zipline guests. Beginning in May 2024, all visitors to the attraction will have access to personalized and truly innovative media souvenirs featuring the highlights of their experience automatically created by Kool Replay’s proprietary technology. Offered content will include fully edited Multiview videos of the zipline experience, Selfies XXL showing the guests with zoom out on the stunning landscape of the Horseshoe Falls and AI-based photos with the American Falls in the background. The unforgettable adventure amid the breathtaking landscapes of Niagara Falls experienced during the zipline guest’s journey will be made instantly accessible for viewing and sharing on social media.

Niagara Adventure Excursions Inc.’s General Manager, Tim Parker, shares: “After reviewing several photo and video solution providers during an extended RFP process, we selected Kool Replay for its unique experience in photo and video automation and its smooth integration with our operations. We are pleased to work with Kool Replay, which has demonstrated a unique edge in those areas. We're excited about unique ways to capture the highlights of our guests’ experience while showcasing one of Canada’s most stunning natural sites.”

François Tremblay, cofounder of Kool Replay, echoes the sentiment: “We are very happy to unite with Niagara Adventure Excursions Inc., which offers a zipline experience like no other in the world. We take pride in being selected by the organization as its partner to capture the best of their guest experience on innovative and exciting media products.”

About Niagara Adventure Excursions Inc.

Niagara Adventure Excursions Inc. (NAE) is an incorporated company operating on Niagara Parks Commission lands. Since 2016, NAE has operated the Zipline to the Falls, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For both the thrill-seekers and the hesitant, the Zipline to the Falls represents a hands-free, worry-free, and fully guided experience like no other in the world! Located in the heart of Niagara Falls, the Zipline to the Falls floats riders 2,200 feet down four lines, reaching speeds up to 50 km/hour and landing at the base of the iconic Canadian Horseshoe Falls. For more information about Niagara Adventure Excursions, please contact Lindsay DiCosimo, Director of Marketing, at ldicosimo@wildplay.com

About Kool Replay

Established in 2016 in Montreal, Canada, Kool Replay has been reinventing the world of automated photo and video services for the amusement and recreational industries. With over 88 projects and 10M media products delivered worldwide, Kool Replay leverages the latest technologies in the areas of cloud computing, AI, and IoT to automatically capture, edit and distribute personalized photos and videos to users so they can relive and instantaneously share their most memorable and exciting moments. For more information about Kool Replay, please contact François Tremblay at ftremblay@koolreplay.com or +1 514-538-4790.

Naked Bungy Jumpers Raise Over $100,000 for Mental Health Programs on Vancouver Island

Nanaimo, BC – March 5-6, 2022 

Last weekend, 160 naked bungy jumpers at WildPlay Nanaimo raised over $100,000 in support of Mental Health Recovery Partners (MHRP) South Island. The fundraiser is held annually, with more than $450,000 raised over the last 16 years.

“We are overwhelmed at the outpouring of support that lets us know mental health matters.” said Hazel Meredith, Executive Director of MHRP. “This support helps us help more people through peer support, wellness workshops, family support and counselling.”

WildPlay’s Naked Bungy fundraiser happens every March, offering a free bungy jump to those who raise more than $200 in pledges. All proceeds from Bungy Jumps during the weekend go towards providing mental health recovery programs on Vancouver Island, in partnership with Mental Health Recovery Partners (MHRP). Funds from this year’s Naked Bungy event will enable mental health support for over 625 individuals on Vancouver Island.

 “Raising awareness and support for mental health is possibly more important this year than ever before.” said Tom Benson, CEO of WildPlay. “I am so thrilled with the impact this annual fundraiser has made in our community. Well done to all of the brave souls who came out and jumped in the buff for mental health!”

WildPlay Parks in Victoria, Nanaimo and Maple Ridge are open all year long, offering fun, socially-distanced, outdoor adventure and excitement for all ages. Push your self-perceived physical and mental boundaries with ziplines, aerial obstacle courses, freefall jumps, axe throwing and more exhilarating outdoor experiences.

Media are invited to visit the Park to experience the thrills firsthand. Reach out any time to schedule a complimentary visit.

MHRP Media Contact:

Hazel Meredith
Mental Health Recovery Partners South Island
hazel.meredith@mhrp.ca

WildPlay Media Contact:

Kat Craats, Assistant Marketing Manager
WildPlay Element Parks
250-650-4813 | kcraats@wildplay.com

$87,000 Raised by Tossing Bosses

First Annual Event Raises Awareness and Funds For Brain Injury

40 bosses were tossed off the bungy bridge at WildPlay Nanaimo last Friday in a unique fundraising event for both the Victoria and Nanaimo Brain Injury Societies (VBIS and NBIS). Teams raised a minimum $500 for the opportunity to toss their boss in the first annual Toss the Boss event, which raised over $87,000 in its inaugural year.

The event included live music, a barbecue, food trucks and live streaming using drone technology. Top fundraising team MNP pitted their Nanaimo boss and Victoria boss in a fundraising challenge, with the Victoria team raising $8,900 and edging out their Nanaimo colleagues by $2,000.

MNP Partner Steve Wellburn had a personal stake in the event. A brain injury survivor himself, Wellburn says, “Toss the Boss on Friday was a great event for our MNP Victoria Team. Our entire team enjoyed Wild Play Nanaimo and watching many bosses get “tossed”. As a brain injury survivor, it was a great opportunity to increase the awareness of the impact of brain injuries with our team and the great work that NBIS and VBIS accomplish for so many. Thank you for inviting us to participate in this wonderful event and important cause.”

Acquired brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability for Canadians under the age of 40, with an incidence greater than that of multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, HIV/AIDS and breast cancer combined. VBIS and NBIS provide individual and group support, education and advocacy to brain injury survivors and their families. All programs offered are at no cost to participants.

Next year’s event will take place in September 2022. For more information visit our website at www.tosstheboss.ca.

WILDPLAY ELEMENT PARKS AND BC WILDLIFE FEDERATION HOLD SECOND ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT, JUMP FOR WILDLIFE 2019

Play up in the treetops while supporting the many creatures that call BC forest their home. On September 14, the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) and WildPlay will host their 2nd annual Jump for Wildlife event, with 25% of all ticket sales at BC WildPlay Parks going back to support the BCWF’s programs and initiatives.

In 2018, the event raised $2,250, with proceeds donated towards initiatives such as the BCWF Wilderness Watch, a program which supports a network of volunteers who help patrol protected wilderness areas for unlawful activity.

Guests wishing to participate can book online ahead of the day or can swing by the park during regular operating hours.

“We look forward to teaming up with the BC Wildlife Federation again this year for our Jump For Wildlife event,” said Ben Miller, Marketing Manager at WildPlay Element Parks.

“Encouraging children and adults to get in touch with their wild side, while enjoying and respecting nature is at the root of what we do at WildPlay. We appreciate all that the BCWF does to protect our BC forests and we’re thrilled to help raise funds for their programs.”

To book ahead for the day, visit wildplay.com or call our contact centre at 1-855-595-2251.

NEW ADRENALINE PACKED ADVENTURES ON HISTORIC JONES BEACH

WildPlay Element Parks is excited to open its newest location on historic Jones Beach. The park is open to the public starting July 2nd and will feature a 700-foot zipline, 40-foot freefall jump as well as three Adventure Courses for ages five through to adults with spectacular views of Jones Beach.

Opening July 2nd, the 700-foot zipline will provide an exciting new way for guests to experience Jones Beach while soaring through the air. Locals and visitors will be able to work their way through the adventure course reaching heights of up to 40 feet all while taking in the breathtaking vistas of the natural environment with views stretching all the way to Manhattan. This attraction has created local jobs where the WildPlay team will provide exciting adventures and is a significant part of the Jones Beach revitalization project which is focused on enhancing the existing beachscape and offering a new experience for people of all ages at the beach. WildPlay is committed to the revitalization of Jones Beach, engaging local contractors to ensure the correct soils and plants are used throughout the site to enhance the natural setting and encourage the return of birds, rabbits and frogs to the area.

An industry leader and award-winning company, WildPlay has been a leader in the aerial adventure business since 2006 and has successfully developed thirteen major adventure parks in U.S.A and Canada. Led by Chief Experience Officer, Tom Benson, WildPlay encourages life-long activity and exploration through unique experiences that provide exciting adventure recreation in a risk-managed environment that pushes guests outside their comfort zone.

“We are thrilled to open the zipline and adventure park at Jones Beach. These adventures represent advanced designs, which minimize environmental impact while revitalizing and re-naturalizing the site” says Tom Benson, CEO, WildPlay Element Parks. “New York State Parks has been a fantastic partner; we are excited to be working with them to revitalize Jones Beach and can’t wait for guests of all ages to experience these unique and captivating adventures in such a beautiful setting.”

About WildPlay Element Parks
WildPlay Element Parks has a thirteen-year history of opening and operating adventure parks throughout North America. WildPlay’s outdoor recreation activities encourage people to push their self-perceived physical and mental boundaries. WildPlay is rapidly growing throughout North America with locations in both the United States and Canada.

WILDPLAY MAKES VICTORIA HISTORY WITH ZIPLINE

WildPlay, TELUS help make Victoria history with ZIPLINE

New attraction added to HarbourCats games at Wilson’s Group Stadium at RAP

VICTORIA, B.C. — It’s a first in the history of the City of Victoria — a zipline attraction within city limits.

The Victoria HarbourCats have teamed up with WildPlay, a local company famous for its outdoor adventure parks throughout North America– including their signature Victoria location in nearby Colwood — and TELUS to install a 400-foot addition to the already entertaining activities during West Coast League games.

The WILDPLAY ZIPLINE, presented by TELUS Wireline, will be open to the public for the first time on June 1 when the HarbourCats hold their first Peninsula Co-op Alumni Classic, a 6:35pm game time. Doors will open that night at 5:30pm — when fans will have their first chance to try it out.

The zipline will run every HarbourCats home game, during the games — located beyond the right field fence, running parallel to Cook Street. Tickets will be sold in advance for $12.50, through the team office or website. There will be 200 tickets available for each game, and those not secured in advance — highly advisable — will be available at the park for $15.

“This is a first — we want to thank the City of Victoria for sharing this vision, of a major added attraction at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner/GM of the HarbourCats. “A lot of work and coordination, spanning more than a year, have gone into this. Working with Tom Benson, Robert Kemp and the team at WildPlay has been a true pleasure, as well as with Shaye Draper, Don McIsaac and Dan Hogarth of TELUS. We also have a big thanks to Troy Birtwistle of TRB Construction, and to all the people with Chinook Scaffolding. So many pieces came together on this.”

“We are thrilled to expand our WildPlay Victoria presence to include this exciting new experience” said Tom Benson, CEO of WildPlay Element Parks “The zipline is going to thrill our guests and be a great new addition in the heart of the community”

It is believed to be the first full-game operating zipline of its kind during a baseball game — adding another reason to take in HarbourCats games, with the team now in its seventh season in the West Coast League.

WILDPLAY OPENS A NEW CANOPY ZIPLINE TOUR IN VICTORIA, BC

WildPlay Victoria is excited to announce the addition of a Zipline Tour to the park. The brand-new Canopy Zipline Tour is set to open to the public this coming Saturday, July 21st. The six-line zipline tour is the newest addition to the Victoria Park and will feature an innovative dual line, continuous belay system to improve guest safety as they explore the stunning coastal rainforest from up in the tree canopy.

The first zipline tour located within the city, WildPlay Victoria is conveniently located just 15 minutes from downtown. The new tour provides accessible fun for only $59.99 making it affordable for the whole family. The Canopy Zipline Tour is a fully guided experience, allowing guests to focus on the exciting ride and the beautiful views ahead.

“We are thrilled to expand our Victoria location to include this exciting new experience” said Tom Benson, CEO of WildPlay Element Parks “We think our guests will enjoy this new experience and appreciate that we have brought our industry-leading zipline safety systems to Victoria”.

The Zipline Tour adds to the experiences already available at WildPlay’s Victoria Park. Opened in 2010, WildPlay Victoria also offers the What’s to Fear Jump as well as three unique Aerial Adventure Courses which incorporate several ziplines and 50 other tree top obstacles.

WildPlay Element Parks has a twelve-year history of opening and operating nature-based adventure parks throughout North America. Their outdoor recreation activities encourage people to push their self-perceived physical and mental boundaries. With parks in Nanaimo, BC, Victoria, BC, Maple Ridge, BC, Kelowna, BC, Niagara Falls, ON, and Thacher, NY, people of all ages and fitness levels are inspired to “Play More. Fear Less.”
Media are invited to visit the Park to experience this exciting new attraction. Reach out any time to schedule a complimentary visit for our Zipline Tour or any attraction at a WildPlay Park.

NANAIMO HARBOUR ZIPLINE OPENS

WildPlay Nanaimo is thrilled to announce that the zipline across Maffeo Sutton Park will be open to the public this Saturday, June 30. Through a partnership with the City of Nanaimo, WildPlay will be operating the zipline throughout the summer season.

Guests aged seven and older can experience the thrill of zipping over the Swy-a-Lana Lagoon while taking in the spectacular views of the harbor. The zipline will operate with extended hours for all major events in the park; running from 10AM to 7PM between Friday to Monday each week with operations extending through to September.

“We have been eagerly anticipating beginning operations at the Harbour Zipline” said Tom Benson, CEO of WildPlay Element Parks “The zipline is going to thrill our guest and be a great new element right in the heart of Nanaimo”.
WildPlay Nanaimo will be adding a new shuttle to take guests to the park. The shuttle will go back and forth from the new Maffeo Sutton Park Zipline to WildPlay Nanaimo, located just 10 minutes south of Nanaimo. Guests of the Harbour Zipline will receive 10% off at the Park. WildPlay currently offers Bungy jumping, Adventure Courses, Twin Ziplines over the Nanaimo River and more at their current location at 35 Nanaimo River Road.

About WildPlay Element Parks | WildPlay.com
WildPlay Element Parks has a twelve-year history of opening and operating nature-based adventure parks throughout North America. Their outdoor recreation activities encourage people to push their self-perceived physical and mental boundaries. The first WildPlay location, in Nanaimo, BC, opened in March 2006. Initially offering the well-known Bungy Jump and the Primal Swing activities, the park introduced the company’s original Adventure Course and Zipline Tour. Expansion followed over the next twelve years as WildPlay took root in Victoria, BC, Maple Ridge, BC, Kelowna, BC, Niagara Falls, ON and Thacher, NY.

WILDPLAY NIAGARA FALLS ANNOUNCES 2018 NIGHT-TIME ILLUMINATION ZIPLINE TO THE FALLS

Friday June 22nd, 2018 (Niagara Falls, Ontario) – WildPlay Element Parks can now add another attraction to their impressive portfolio with WildPlay’s MistRider Night-Time Illumination Zipline To The Falls. This one-of-a-kind experience provides exciting, edgy, adventure recreation in a risk managed environment where people push their self-perceived physical and mental boundaries.

Just in time for the 2018 season, WildPlay Niagara Falls would like to announce our new Night-Time Illumination Zipline. Riders take in a unique view of the Falls Illumination while experiencing the thrill of a 2,200 foot zipline through the Niagara River Gorge. “It is a sensation like no other,” explains WildPlay Niagara Falls’ General Manager, Rich Merlino “it is truly amazing to be flying next to Niagara Falls illuminated in a rainbow of colours.”

The exclusive after dark check-in times allow for another impressive opportunity, a one-of-a-kind view of the Niagara Falls fireworks display. Guests can take in the spectacular show from either the Zipline to the Falls Launch Tower or at the Landing Platform, depending on what check-in time they select. The Niagara Falls fireworks will be going off every night at 10:00 pm from June 18th until September 3rd* presented by Niagara Parks, with support from the Tourism Partnership of Niagara.

All Night-Time Illumination riders will also receive a light-up zipline souvenir as part of their Zipline to the Falls admission.

“Our goal of providing both adventure and educational opportunities as guests explore nature within the Niagara Parks has only expanded.” says Lindsay DiCosimo, Guest Experience Manager for WildPlay Niagara Falls. “MistRider Night-Time Illumination Zipline to the Falls is another thrilling opportunity to bring new human-powered, eco-adventure attractions to Niagara Falls.”

WildPlay’s MistRider Zipline to the Falls 2018 Night-Time Illumination Zipline will begin to operate seven days a week starting on Friday June 22, 2018 after nightfall until September 3, 2018. Operations will continue until the end of October with Friday and Saturday zipline flights.

WILDPLAY ELEMENT PARKS SET TO INTRODUCE NEW ADRENALINE-PACKED AERIAL ADVENTURE AND ZIP-LINE EXPERIENCES IN ONTARIO’S NIAGARA PARKS REGION.

At two spectacular locations along the Niagara Ontario Parkway, development of new high-adrenaline recreation experiences is in motion. British Columbia-based aerial adventure company, WildPlay Element Parks, along with partner, Ontario-based adventure recreation company Niagara Adventure Excursions, are pleased to be working with The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) to build and operate a new zip-line attraction and an aerial adventure course at NPC’s Grand View Marketplace Place and Thompson Point locations, starting in 2016.

The human-powered eco-adventures will add exciting new ways for people to experience Niagara Falls, as well as educational ways for people to explore nature within Niagara Parks.

In the spring of 2016, an aerial adventure course will be opened along the Niagara Parkway on the north side of the Whirlpool at Thompson Point. This attraction, which is the first activity of its kind for the Niagara Region, is designed to give people a fresh and fun Niagara experience, featuring breathtaking new vistas of the Niagara Whirlpool, Gorge and the Niagara Parkway. On the aerial adventure courses, guests ages five and older will discover nature-based fun as they navigate individual suspended obstacle challenges, which include zip lines, log ladders, rope swings, scrambling walls, hanging nets, spinning logs, wobbly bridges, tightropes, monkey bars, and more surprising games. The level of intensity, difficulty and height increases throughout the Kids, Classic, and Extreme courses.

In addition to the aerial adventure, will be a world-class Niagara Falls zip-line experience. Four high-speed, side-by-side lines will descend a distance of 670 metres (2,200 feet) from NPC’s Grand View Marketplace into the Niagara Gorge below. With picture-perfect views of both the American and Canadian Horseshoe Falls, the new zip lines will allow visitors to experience and appreciate Niagara, the Gorge and Niagara Parks in a unique way, while not impacting the view for visitors from Queen Victoria Park.

An industry leader and award-winning company, WildPlay has been in the business of aerial outdoor adventure since 2006, and has successfully developed five major aerial adventure parks and zip-lines across western Canada. Led by Chief Experience Officer, Tom Benson, WildPlay encourages life-long activity and nature exploration through unique experiences that provide thrilling, edgy, adventure recreation in a risk-managed environment.

“The new zip line at Grand View Marketplace and the aerial adventure course at Thompson Point represent advanced designs that will enhance access to the local natural beauty of Niagara Parks, for a wide range of our guests,” says Tom Benson, CEO, WildPlay Element Parks. “We are excited that our efforts will engage everyone who is young at heart, from ages five to adult, to experience the unique and captivating adventures. We think these activities will become unforgettable experiences.”

About WildPlay Element Parks | WildPlay.com

WildPlay Element Parks has a nine-year history of opening and operating nature-based adventure Parks throughout North America. Their outdoor recreation activities encourage people to push their self-perceived physical and mental boundaries. The first WildPlay location, in Nanaimo, BC, opened in March 2006. Initially offering the well-known Bungy Jump and the Primal Swing activities, the Park introduced the company’s original Monkido® Aerial Adventure and DragonFLY Zip Lines. Expansion followed over the next six years as WildPlay took root in Victoria, BC, Maple Ridge, BC, Kelowna, BC, Wood Buffalo, AB, and now Niagara Falls, ON.

About Niagara Adventure Excursions

Formed in 2011 with the goal of providing a new eco-tourism experience in Niagara Falls, a group of local business owners is working in collaboration with WildPlay Element Parks – a Canadian-owned nature-based recreation company – and The Niagara Parks Commission to develop two new human-powered experiences in the destination.

TOM BENSON, CEO OF WILDPLAY ELEMENT PARKS, APPOINTED TO BOARD OF THE BC SAFETY AUTHORITY

A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP, PASSION AND BEST PRACTICES, THROUGH PRIMAL FUN & GAMES.

Aug. 7, 2013, Victoria, BC – Tom Benson, chief experience officer and co-founder of WildPlay Element Parks (WildPlay), has been appointed to a BC Safety Authority (BCSA) Amusement Devices Technology Advisory Committee charged with providing industry advice in developing regulations and standards for operators of outdoor aerial adventure parks and ziplines.

BCSA is an independent, self-funded organization, with a mandate to oversee the safe installation and operation of technical systems. Joining Benson on the committee are representatives from Adrena-line, ZipTrek Ecotours, and Challenges Unlimited.

“The committee is a great opportunity for open dialogue that builds integrity and strong working relationships within the industry,” says Benson. “Members have been invited to participate because of experience in related businesses, and the fact that we are committed to building the safest outdoor adventure park system in the world.”

Benson brings more than 25 years of professional experience in outdoor adventure to BCSA. WildPlay, with four Parks and multiple aerial recreation Elements, is the biggest player on the committee and Benson is interested in contributing his diverse knowledge to the mission.

Since launching seven years ago, WildPlay remains an accident-free leader in providing challenging and fun experiences in risk-managed environments. Their philosophy of “evolving the guest” is a unique connection that each visitor makes between their inner “primal” potential and that of the natural, untamed world. The company has worked closely with BCSA to meet and exceed the committee’s standards, and WildPlay maintains high operational standards of its own, unique to each element experience.

WildPlay belongs to a rapidly growing zip line and aerial adventure sector of the outdoor recreation movement, where consumer demand is making the need for rigorous industry-wide standards increasingly important. In response, the committee will be examining best practices in other jurisdictions and helping guide the BCSA board in developing standards for adventure products.

Benson and his partner Gord Ross, both veteran mountaineers and climbing guides, hatched their business idea after experiencing tree-to-tree style adventure experiences in Europe and South America. In March 2006, they opened their first WildPlay Element Parks location in Nanaimo, with the goal of allowing participants of all ages to challenge their own physical and mental limitations in a natural setting. The inaugural Park features the iconic Bungy Jump and Primal Swing Elements, as well as the original Monkido® Aerial Adventure courses and DragonFLY Zip Lines.

The WildPlay Element Parks brand of fun and learning proved to be a big hit, and today the company has grown to meet the demand for unique adrenaline-based experiences. Additional Parks opened in West Shore Victoria in 2009, Maple Ridge in 2010, and Kelowna in 2012, all featuring the exclusive Monkido® Classic, Buddy and Kids courses, where “monkey-see, monkey-do” obstacles are suspended in the trees for adults, teens, and kids to navigate zip lines, tree ladders, rope swings, scrambling walls, hanging nets, spinning logs, wobbly bridges, tightropes, monkey bars, and other surprising games.

As stewards for nature-based experience, WildPlay pays close attention to the ecological impact of park build, design, and Element use. Land use incorporates and maintains existing vegetation and terrain features, and restoration of natural plants is adopted where possible, and allowances are made for the habitats and migration of small animals. In some cases, WildPlay Element Parks helps clean-up or restore degraded and abandoned urban spaces, as was the case at Maple Ridge and West Shore Victoria sites.

For individuals, WildPlay Element Parks ensures that the adrenaline discovered during an outdoor experience helps create a sense of place in the natural world. The company encourages adults, teens, and kids to appreciate and be advocates for the environment of the future.

As part of its ongoing commitment to reducing energy, Park hours of operation are set to maximize daylight; requiring power in administrative areas to support computers, phones, internet access, and heat during chilly Canadian winters, and on the Primal Swing Elements only when in operation.

NEW CENTRAL OKANAGAN PARK OPENS ADRENALIN-PUMPING AERIAL ADVENTURES IN KELOWNA

Grand Opening: Celebrations will be held from July 27 to 29, 2012 with 15% off all Element adventures, prizes, and special offers for guests.

July 26, 2012, Kelowna, BC – Expansion of BC-based WildPlay Element Parks continues this summer with the opening of the latest adventure park in Kelowna, BC.

The new park features three adventure recreation ‘Elements’, with panoramic views of the Okanagan. The Monkido Aerial Adventure courses (Classic, Buddy and Kids); Primal Swing; and DragonFLY Zip Lines (which will open in August) allow guests to face fears, push self-perceived boundaries and experience life from a different perspective.
“WildPlay Element Parks is an excellent attraction for the city of Kelowna. The people who live and visit the Central Okanagan are outdoor adventure enthusiasts, often looking for a new challenge and thrill,” says Alexander Michl, president and franchise owner of WildPlay Kelowna. “We’re delivering on that demand in spades.”

Like WildPlay’s five other Parks – in Maple Ridge, Nanaimo, Victoria, and Whistler, BC, and one new location in the Yukon, YT – Elements in the Kelowna location are constructed to minimize their impact on the natural environment. The tree- and spar-mounted games of the Monkido Aerial Adventure courses are built using a special compression system that allows sap and tree nutrients to flow, and vegetation growth to continue. The placements of Elements are also designed to both work with the natural terrain and provide the best opportunity for guests to feel enveloped by nature.

“I’ve always been drawn to outdoor adventures and how getting into the natural environment makes all kinds of barriers in the mind and body disappear,” says Tom Benson, WildPlay Element Parks co-founder and chief experience officer. “I’ve seen people let go and realize some pretty amazing and positive changes in that kind of situation. At one point I noticed that people began spending more leisure time indoors, missing out on that innate opportunity to evolve. That’s where the idea for WildPlay Element Parks came about – as a way to bring people of a wide range of ages and abilities back to a place that was naturally designed to give them the freedom to meet their physical and mental needs, without sacrificing their down time.”

The ‘a-ha’ moment for Benson came after discovering the tree-to-tree parks in Europe and South America. The idea became a catalyst to design the company’s range of gentle to extreme aerial Elements that turn the concept of play into a mechanism for people to take on a challenge and overcome self-perceived limits, whatever they may be.

Since opening their first WildPlay Element Parks location in Nanaimo, BC in 2006, Benson has seen growing visitor and investor interest as a sign that people are equally drawn to the opportunity of exploring the outdoors in a way that is different, exciting and freeing. Today, WildPlay Element Parks employs more than 100 employees during peak season; 21 guest services agents, Element guides and supervising employees are already working at the new Kelowna Park.

WildPlay Element Parks, Kelowna, features:

1. Monkido Aerial Adventure: Derived from the ‘monkey see, monkey do’ action of problem solving and physical manoeuvring, the name stands for a combination of obstacles suspended from trees and wooden spars, two to 18 metres above ground. Course games include high ropes, zip lines, rope swings, scrambling walls, hanging nets, spinning logs, wobbly bridges, and more than 40 aerial surprises in four progressively challenging sections.

2. Primal Swing: On this high-velocity swing, guests (in single or tandem rides) don paragliding-style harnesses and are hoisted high above the ground, dangling over a deep valley abyss with distant views of the city of Kelowna and Okanagan Lake. In flash-fast release, guests plummet toward the ground at incredible speed before arcing back into the air up to 33.5 metres beyond the cliff’s edge. Guests catch their breath, and commanding views, in the wide-swooping final pendulum.

3. DragonFLY Zip Lines: A series of ten zip lines swiftly fly guests across rising and falling Okanagan hillside and grassland plateaus. The DragonFLY Zip Lines vary in length, stretching up to 250 metres, preferred by guests who enjoy fun and gentle guided experience (Opening in August 2012).

WILDPLAY WEST SHORE VICTORIA UNLEASHES CHAMBER MEMBERS

There is nothing quite like the opportunity to swing from the trees to get people out for a mixer. This past month the West Shore Chamber of Commerce [Victoria, BC] held their monthly mixer at the WildPlay park in Colwood and the turnout was incredible.

The impending election also helped to generate some excitement as all the candidates were on hand with their celebrity endorsers in tow. Liberal candidate Lillian Szpakher famous sister Anne-Marie MacDonald, author of Fall on Your Knees and The Way the Crow Flies. Also on hand was Senator and Olympic Gold Medalist Nancy Greene Raine in support of Conservative candidate Troy DeSouza.

After hearing a few words from Chamber CEO Dan Spinner people took to the trees to try out part of the Wildplay course (which is a blast by the way). Thanks to Wildplay and Truffles Catering for hosting such a fun evening.