Behind the scenes: Canada’s Wonderland puts in pool for massive new cliff jumping attraction

Mountain Bay Cliffs, the newest attraction at Canada’s Wonderland is starting to take shape in the water park! This summer, guests will have a chance to try cliff jumping from three different heights into a pool of water, just like cliff jumping in cottage country.

Curious what goes into creating something like this? 

It’s about a five-month project to build the pool and rock structure. Work began in December with the excavation of the site and will wrap up in Spring 2020.

The first step was to dig a massive hole with excavators. Then crews installed a drainage system and began erecting a supportive wood structure or ‘forms’ to give the pool its shape. Reinforcing steel rebar went in, skimmers and lights were added, and then it was time for the gunite.  

Gunite is a combination of sand and cement that’s pumped with air through a nozzle where it’s mixed with water. It’s shot out of the nozzle at high velocity into the structure, where after three days, it’s solid and secure. And it’s the same stuff our Wonder Mountain is made of!

Once the gunite was dry and solid, the wood forms around the pool were removed. Built into the pool are two exit stairs and a platform for our lifeguards.

Currently, crews are backfilling the gaps around the concrete pool, and once the ground is level enough, it’ll be time to hook up plumbing and electrical wiring to the lights and skimmers.

Next, the frame is built for our mountain, which will require more than 14 tonnes of steel. Rock panels will be attached to it to get that authentic cliff look.

Concrete will be poured for the mechanical room, which will eventually house the filters, heaters, and pumps. Railings go up, fences are installed, we’ll do landscaping, and the pool is filled with more than 946,000 litres of water.

Mountain Bay Cliffs will feature three platforms to jump from: three metres (10 feet), five metres (16 feet), and seven-and-a-half metres (25 feet). It’ll be a water park attraction unlike any other, and we can’t wait for guests to take the leap!