ProSlide Technologies president and CEO Rick Hunter says his company’s multi-level play structure, dubbed the Ride House, is opening this year in the same Olympic venue where American athlete Michael Phelps won a record eight gold medals in 2008.
Twelve ProSlide rides will come off this play structure, which Mr. Hunter calls the world’s largest.
The company specializes in the design, engineering and manufacturing of fibreglass water rides. It also owns Mont Cascades north of Gatineau and is developing Alottawata Water Park outside Barrhaven, off Highway 416.
He says the water park industry suffered a setback as credit conditions tightened during the global economic contraction, but that there are visible signs of a recovery.
“We are definitely feeling an upswing,” he says.
He says Asian markets are becoming increasingly important for his company, which previously did about 70 per cent of its business in the United States. That’s dropped to about 50 per cent as new venues are constructed in developing markets.
“People love water parks. If you have a market that doesn’t yet have a water park, get in on it,” says Mr. Hunter.
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