As temperatures rise this summer people are trying to find more ways to cool off, and one water park north of Montreal thinks it may have found an innovative new attraction for young people.
Super Aqua Club in Pointe-Calumet, Que., has installed a new multisensory ride — an artificial river that flows through a 23-metre tunnel.
Riders on inflatable tubes are subjected to a variety of experiences including holographic projections, sounds and special water effects.
“You know it was really dark and it was really fun,” said a drenched Jack Hickman, 19, after emerging from the ride. “I didn’t get to see what was really going on and then bam! Water came out of nowhere.”
His friend, 18-year-old Nick Banousis, agreed. “It was really scary too,” he laughed.
Stephen Hamelin, CEO of Vortex Aquatic Structures, the company that made the attraction, insisted that though some people might find some parts of the attraction a little hair-raising, the experience is still pleasant.
“This is a jungle theme,” he explained, “so they’re going to see images of the jungle and noises from the jungle and it’s very artistic.”
He said the experience is about five minutes long, but to see it all, riders must go through the tunnel more than once.
“It’s also interactive so depending on where you are, there will be a reaction to your presence and how many people are there,” he told Global News.
Club officials claim there’s nothing like it anywhere else worldwide.
“I think we’re proud of that and the fact that it’s a Quebec company,” beamed Nadine St-Amant, Super Aqua Club president and co-owner.
According to Hamelin, this was built to attract youth.
“Children today are used to multimedia, higher-intensity experiences,” he pointed out.
It’s why St-Amant said they jumped on the project, pointing out that increasingly people are using — and used to — technology, so integrating that into theme parks makes sense.
“People want to be entertained, people want to feel emotion, not just doing a ride but having other stuff around,” she argued.
Clients at the park who Global News spoke to agree.
“I was laughing all the way through,” recounted Josiane Konate, who did the ride with her eight year-old son. “There is a lot of surprises down there. I wasn’t expecting that at all.”
Alex Paquin went with his nine-month-old son, Austin.
“He was scared a bit,” Paquin said of his infant. “He cried a bit but he was good.”
When asked if they weren’t too old for the ride, both Banousis and Hickman were emphatic.
“No, you’re never too old,” said Hickman. “Never too old.”
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