Natural Landscape Features at Canada's Wonderland
Canada’s Wonderland is an amusement park which is home to many natural landscape attributes. The main feature are rides and roller coasters that thrill and delight many visitors each season. But, there are also natural features at the park which indirectly delight visitors as well. Some visitors may never notice these natural features as they are quite busy riding rides but, they may notice on they take a break from the thrills. Whenever a visitor at an amusement park notices these natural landscape features, they are always there, even during the off-season. These natural landscape features consist of mostly ponds and streams. Trees are also seen as a natural landscape features. But, for the purpose of this article they will not be mentioned here but, in a future article.
Ponds As a Natural Landscape Feature
As mentioned earlier, ponds at amusement parks usually are a natural feature. This is the case regardless of whether or not they were expanded upon, as long as there is a natural water source constantly feeding the pond. At my home park, Canada’s Wonderland they have a couple of ponds which are fed by a natural stream. The stream begins north of the park and keeps a constant level of water, even during some of the of the hottest and driest of summers.
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| The Rage and Arthur's Bay at Canada's Wonderland. |
The First Pond
The first pond I am going to discuss is located within the Medieval Faire section of the park, where it is known as Arthur’s Bay. It has been home to many different stunt diving shows throughout the years. It is even home to a ride known as The Rage, which has been swinging over Arthur's Bay since 1981. Arthur’s Bay connects to the stream which runs throughout roughly the center of the park leading towards Rutherford Road. The stream which runs throughout the center of the park interacts with rides and pedestrian bridges found along the paths. The stream also connects with other ponds which can be found throughout the park.
The Second Pond
The second pond of discussion can be found within the Planet Snoopy section of the park. It is home to a ride which many children enjoy, known as Swan Lake. If it was not for the natural stream running throughout the park, Swan Lake may not exist, as it requires water to operate the guided track that propels the swan-like boats around the pond. Swan Lake has been operating successfully for 35 years now thanks to the constant flow of the natural stream. Now, following the stream from Swan Lake towards Rutherford Road, takes us to the largest pond within the park. But, before we travel further down the stream, let’s take a look at some creatures that call the stream home.
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| The stream located nearby Pro Putt Mini Golf Course at Canada's Wonderland. |
Creatures Within The Stream
Apart from the Canadian geese flocking to the stream’s bed, causing quite a mess, there are more majestic creatures who flow among the stream. These creature are found in the Action Zone section of the park, located nearby the Mighty Canadian Minebuster roller coaster.
The creatures in discussion are carp, which appear to be really over-sized goldfish. The carp are easily seen by visitors as they fight the current of the stream as they flow underneath the pedestrian bridge located nearby Mighty Canadian Minebuster. Visitors also see the carp further down the stream nearby the Backlot Stunt Coaster, just prior to the largest pond at Canada’s Wonderland. The carp captivate the attention of visitors both young and old, making a picture perfect scene for many visitors.
After the section of the stream that features the carp, we head towards the largest pond at Canada's Wonderland.
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| Carp in the stream at Canada's Wonderland. |
The Third Pond
The third pond has mostly served as a non-special landscaping feature since 1981. Motorists on Wonderland Drive or those riding Mighty Canadian Minebuster prior to 2008 could only see the pond. Behemoth opened in 2008 as Canada’s tallest roller coaster, at a jaw dropping height of 230 feet. Behemoth situates itself next to the large pond. It is believed by many to only intensify the ride experience of Behemoth. The passengers appear to be going for a drink even though Behemoth has no interaction with the pond. After the stream flows through the third pond, it exits the park. The stream then continues on its way heading southbound towards the rest of Vaughan and beyond.
So as you can see, the major stream that winds its way through Canada’s Wonderland plays a huge role in creating and shaping the landscape. The stream ultimately enhances the visitor's experience during their visit. I hope you enjoyed this week’s segment of natural landscape features at amusement parks. Next week, we will look at another wet and wild topic, the addition of fountains at amusement parks. Until next time, hold on tight and enjoy the ride!
In the meantime, please be sure to checkout my blog which features my visits to amusement parks at www.amusementviews.blogspot.ca!
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