Storyland (Ontario)
Encyclopedia
Storyland is a children’s theme park located northwest of Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
, near the town of Renfrew
in Horton Township
featuring depictions of classic fairy tale
scenes. The park also features a mini-golf course, a small water park
, live performers, playgrounds, small rides, and staff dressed as fairy tale characters. It is near the Champlain Lookout in Brown's Bay, where Samuel de Champlain made land. In 1953 a large rock was found in the area bearing a chiselled inscription "Champlain Juin 2, 1613" however the authenticity of the inscription has been brought into question by the date format. The Champlain Lookout was a part of the landscape long before Storyland was founded. The park is normally open from mid-June through to the Labour Day
weekend.
on 175 acre (0.7082005 km²). They were unable to have children so they chose instead to build story scenes to amuse hikers on their way to the Champlain Lookout, one of the highest points along the Ottawa River and located at the rear of their property. In 1966 the park opened featuring a windmill
, several story scenes and a playground. The park continued to expand, adding new scenes at a steady rate until 1973 when Durk Heyda suffered a heart attack
and control was handed to family friend John Berkhout. Berkhout continued the parks growth throughout the 1980s, adding mini golf, paddle boats and many additional story scenes, some including moving mechanical scenes. In 2007 Berkhout announced his intention to retire and in the spring of 2008 he sold the park to Ottawa businessman Todd Mattila-Hartman and his company, Great North Parks. Mattila-Hartman had been working on the development of an amusement park in the region for a number of years.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, near the town of Renfrew
Renfrew, Ontario
Renfrew, Ontario, Canada, is a town on the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County. Located one hour west of Ottawa in Eastern Ontario, Renfrew is the third largest town in the county after Petawawa and Pembroke. The town is a small transportation hub connecting Ontario Highway 60 and Highway 132 with...
in Horton Township
Horton, Ontario
For other places with the same name, see Horton .Horton is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, at the confluence of the Bonnechere River and the Ottawa River in Renfrew County. The Town of Renfrew was originally part of Horton Township.Robert A...
featuring depictions of classic fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
scenes. The park also features a mini-golf course, a small water park
Water park
A waterpark is an amusement park that features waterplay areas, such as water slides, splash pads, spraygrounds , lazy rivers, or other recreational bathing, swimming, and barefooting environments...
, live performers, playgrounds, small rides, and staff dressed as fairy tale characters. It is near the Champlain Lookout in Brown's Bay, where Samuel de Champlain made land. In 1953 a large rock was found in the area bearing a chiselled inscription "Champlain Juin 2, 1613" however the authenticity of the inscription has been brought into question by the date format. The Champlain Lookout was a part of the landscape long before Storyland was founded. The park is normally open from mid-June through to the Labour Day
Labour Day
Labour Day or Labor Day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for...
weekend.
History
The Park was founded by Durk and Bonnie Heyda, two immigrants from the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
on 175 acre (0.7082005 km²). They were unable to have children so they chose instead to build story scenes to amuse hikers on their way to the Champlain Lookout, one of the highest points along the Ottawa River and located at the rear of their property. In 1966 the park opened featuring a windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
, several story scenes and a playground. The park continued to expand, adding new scenes at a steady rate until 1973 when Durk Heyda suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and control was handed to family friend John Berkhout. Berkhout continued the parks growth throughout the 1980s, adding mini golf, paddle boats and many additional story scenes, some including moving mechanical scenes. In 2007 Berkhout announced his intention to retire and in the spring of 2008 he sold the park to Ottawa businessman Todd Mattila-Hartman and his company, Great North Parks. Mattila-Hartman had been working on the development of an amusement park in the region for a number of years.
Attractions
- Champlain Lookout: the highest point in the park with views along the Ottawa River Valley
- Off Road Rally: small battery powered vehicles
- Gone Fishin’: a Hampton Dry Boat umbrella ride
- Fairytale Trail: a series of trails throughout the park containing many of the park’s storybook scenes
- Mini Golf: a standard 18 hole putt-putt style mini-golf course
- Splish-Splash Spray Park: a small water park including two inflatable water slides, a splash pad and a Water Wars game
- Crooked Pond Paddle Boats: paddle boats located on a small pond in the centre of the park
- Jump & Bounce: an inflatable bounce castle
- Playgrounds: there are a number of playgrounds located throughout the park
- Old MacDonald’s Farm: a petting zoo featuring many barnyard animals
- Storyland Arcade: a typical redemption game arcade
Shows
- Alice’s Tea Party: characters from the park host daily tea parties (serving apple juice) and sing songs with the children
- Storytelling Time: characters from the park perform a variety of skits and scenes from classic fairytales, getting details confused and encouraging the audience to yell out the correct information
- Special Performances: a variety of local performers are brought in throughout the summer to host magic shows, juggling acts and make balloon characters.
Expansion plans
At the time of the purchase Mattila-Hartman announced plans to expand the park with additional live entertainment, rides and new food options for the 2008 season, and the addition of new larger rides for the 2009 season. In 2008 the battery powered car ride and the Hampton Boat Ride were added as well as an upgraded inflatable castle. In 2009 a Water Wars games was added to the park. Plans for expansion are planned for the 45th anniversary in 2011. The Entertainment Department at Storyland was also over-hauled for the 2011 Season and will feature new characters and shows.Sources
- Cobden Then and Now, by George A. Wallace