Community hub
Recent from talks
Contribute something to knowledge base
Content stats: 0 posts, 0 articles, 0 media, 0 notes
Members stats: 0 subscribers, 0 contributors, 0 moderators, 0 supporters
Subscribers
Supporters
Contributors
Moderators
Hub AI
Calaway Park AI simulator
(@Calaway Park_simulator)
Hub AI
Calaway Park AI simulator
(@Calaway Park_simulator)
Calaway Park
Calaway Park is an amusement park and campground in Springbank, Alberta, Canada. The park occupies approximately 160 acres (65 ha) of land, although the amusement park only occupies 90 acres (36 ha) of it. The park is western Canada's largest amusement park, and is situated approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of Calgary's city limits.
The park was conceived in 1979, with initial plans having the park named Flintstone Fun Park, after The Flintstones animated sitcom. However, the park's owners changed the park's name to Calaway Park several months before it opened to the public in 1982. The park presently holds several attractions such as carnival games and 32 amusement rides, including three roller coasters.
The park was created by John McAfee, a former Red Deer lawyer, and 15 other investors from British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Around 1979, the group paid $500,000 to Hanna-Barbera Productions for the licensing rights to the characters and locations in The Flintstones. While the original TV show ended in 1966, various Saturday morning series continued the basic plot lines, including The New Fred and Barney Show (1979) and The Flintstone Comedy Show. In addition to the Flintstones theme, a Victorian motif was planned for the park; similar to the Grande World Exposition of 1890 in Canada's Wonderland, which opened in 1981. It was presumed by park founders that parents' entrance fees, along with food and gift purchases, would pay operating costs.
Originally planned as Flintstone Fun Park, the project was to cost $8 million; costs "mushroomed" during an energy and real estate boom. The park cost $25 million, including $3 million for the primary corkscrew roller coaster.
On 16 October 1979, Municipal District of Rocky View No. 44 councillors voted 6 to 1 approve the Flintstone Fun Park, the opposing vote coming from the Springbank councillor. The approval came after council sat as the Development Appeal Board over a six-week period, and included a field-trip to "similar" parks in the United States. During hearings, residents submitted that it would ruin their rural lifestyle, while the Calgary Regional Planning Commission suggested it would not comply with established planning documents. The approval came with the requirements that there be a distance between it and two nearby schools, that the park and parking lot be in the north end of the property, that development beyond the initial 60 acres (of a total 143 acres) would require further development application and approval, and that the park comply with a noise provision. The park was to have all layout plans, landscaping, landscaping materials, operation practices, and entrance and exit signs meet with M.D. approval. Bill Copithorne, councillor for the Springbank area, suggested to the media that conditions weren't specific enough for residents.
The Alberta Appeal Court (AAC) ordered a second hearing by the council, again sitting as the Development Appeal Board. The hearing took place in June 1980; three of the councillors were disqualified by the AAC for having visited the American parks previously. The developers argued that they felt 90 per cent of area residents wouldn't object once they visited the park and realized they'd be "proud" of it. If approved, the developers suggested that they would welcome a committee "mostly of opponents" to have a say in planning the park. Locals objected to a proposed fake mountain. McAfee denied knowledge of a statement of company objectives, which included the creation of an on-site hotel. Both sides argued whether the park met the definition of a country recreation centre.
The Flintstone Fun Park developers felt 200,000 people would visit in the first year, and somewhere between 400,000 and 500,000 annually after a decade or two. By this point, the expectation was that there would be a four-lane overpass above Springbank Road, to lessen the traffic disruption. McAfee said the company did not expect to be profitable in the first few years. Approval was given with conditions.
A cement truck depot was seeking to move into Springbank at the same time, it too was opposed. It was blocked quickly on the grounds that the regional plan limited industry in rural areas.
Calaway Park
Calaway Park is an amusement park and campground in Springbank, Alberta, Canada. The park occupies approximately 160 acres (65 ha) of land, although the amusement park only occupies 90 acres (36 ha) of it. The park is western Canada's largest amusement park, and is situated approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of Calgary's city limits.
The park was conceived in 1979, with initial plans having the park named Flintstone Fun Park, after The Flintstones animated sitcom. However, the park's owners changed the park's name to Calaway Park several months before it opened to the public in 1982. The park presently holds several attractions such as carnival games and 32 amusement rides, including three roller coasters.
The park was created by John McAfee, a former Red Deer lawyer, and 15 other investors from British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Around 1979, the group paid $500,000 to Hanna-Barbera Productions for the licensing rights to the characters and locations in The Flintstones. While the original TV show ended in 1966, various Saturday morning series continued the basic plot lines, including The New Fred and Barney Show (1979) and The Flintstone Comedy Show. In addition to the Flintstones theme, a Victorian motif was planned for the park; similar to the Grande World Exposition of 1890 in Canada's Wonderland, which opened in 1981. It was presumed by park founders that parents' entrance fees, along with food and gift purchases, would pay operating costs.
Originally planned as Flintstone Fun Park, the project was to cost $8 million; costs "mushroomed" during an energy and real estate boom. The park cost $25 million, including $3 million for the primary corkscrew roller coaster.
On 16 October 1979, Municipal District of Rocky View No. 44 councillors voted 6 to 1 approve the Flintstone Fun Park, the opposing vote coming from the Springbank councillor. The approval came after council sat as the Development Appeal Board over a six-week period, and included a field-trip to "similar" parks in the United States. During hearings, residents submitted that it would ruin their rural lifestyle, while the Calgary Regional Planning Commission suggested it would not comply with established planning documents. The approval came with the requirements that there be a distance between it and two nearby schools, that the park and parking lot be in the north end of the property, that development beyond the initial 60 acres (of a total 143 acres) would require further development application and approval, and that the park comply with a noise provision. The park was to have all layout plans, landscaping, landscaping materials, operation practices, and entrance and exit signs meet with M.D. approval. Bill Copithorne, councillor for the Springbank area, suggested to the media that conditions weren't specific enough for residents.
The Alberta Appeal Court (AAC) ordered a second hearing by the council, again sitting as the Development Appeal Board. The hearing took place in June 1980; three of the councillors were disqualified by the AAC for having visited the American parks previously. The developers argued that they felt 90 per cent of area residents wouldn't object once they visited the park and realized they'd be "proud" of it. If approved, the developers suggested that they would welcome a committee "mostly of opponents" to have a say in planning the park. Locals objected to a proposed fake mountain. McAfee denied knowledge of a statement of company objectives, which included the creation of an on-site hotel. Both sides argued whether the park met the definition of a country recreation centre.
The Flintstone Fun Park developers felt 200,000 people would visit in the first year, and somewhere between 400,000 and 500,000 annually after a decade or two. By this point, the expectation was that there would be a four-lane overpass above Springbank Road, to lessen the traffic disruption. McAfee said the company did not expect to be profitable in the first few years. Approval was given with conditions.
A cement truck depot was seeking to move into Springbank at the same time, it too was opposed. It was blocked quickly on the grounds that the regional plan limited industry in rural areas.