Elkhorn Resort Water Park

Canada’s Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Center has attracted families to its accommodations since 1961. The facility and grounds border the Riding Mountain National Park in central Manitoba, offering access to hundreds of kilometers of cross-country skiing and hiking trails.

Each year, the Elkhorn hosts thousands of guests in its manor and chalets and treats them to amenities like campfires, bike rentals and an indoor water park. Guests can also get premier Nordic-style spa services, try their hand at dog sledding or sing their hearts out at karaoke night, among other activities.

Water parks in winter

The aquatic fun doesn’t have to stop just because the weather turns colder. Elkhorn Resort and Soft Play® teamed up to prove that by providing unique water play solutions to the facility’s indoor water park.

The vision

Despite the availability of nearby trails, winter months traditionally saw reservations decline for Canada’s Elkhorn Resort Spa and Conference Center. The resort wanted to find a way to attract family bookings during the colder part of the year. That began with constructing a new recreational space with a fitness area, game room and indoor water park.

The resort partnered with a local construction firm to design the space. Its owner, along with Elkhorn’s maintenance manager, persuaded the facility’s leadership to install water play features — particularly a water walk system — to make the pool more inviting and interactive. Soft Play earned the resort’s business with exceptional responsiveness and customer service.

The challenge

Soft Play and Elkhorn Resort addressed two primary challenges in the project.

creating themed elements

Choosing a specific design motif is becoming increasingly popular among water parks and other play spaces. Themed areas are versatile for both indoor and outdoor installations. They can help extend a brand’s experience, enrich education and exploration, or honor a geographic location.

The Elkhorn Resort opted for the latter and a nature-themed water walk that echoed its woodland setting next to 3,000 square kilometers of forest.

Facilitating engaging water play activity

Lodging operators are turning to water parks to provide more value and fun for their guests. An increasing number of facilities are installing play elements that go beyond the traditional pool. In turn, more adults are looking to book accommodations that offer these extras to create a more enjoyable experience for their kids. To attract more families, the resort needed an interactive feature capable of entertaining kids of all ages.

Soft play nature-themed water walk features

The Elkhorn Resort, its construction contractors and the Soft Play team worked together to design and install a unique nature-themed water walk.

Provides high-volume durability

Our tree-inspired water walk stands up to the facility’s heavy use. Soft Play elements feature Hydro-Tuff® coating for a long life span. This coating is resistant to abrasion and ultraviolet light, keeping it from showing excess wear and tear or fading quickly. Hydro-Tuff is also chlorine-stable, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor environments.

Provides high-volume durability

Our tree-inspired water walk stands up to the facility’s heavy use. Soft Play elements feature Hydro-Tuff® coating for a long life span. This coating is resistant to abrasion and ultraviolet light, keeping it from showing excess wear and tear or fading quickly. Hydro-Tuff is also chlorine-stable, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor environments.

offers mental, intellectual, and physical benefits

Guests using Elkhorn’s water walk are challenged to cross the floating walkway without falling in. That requires concentration, focus and a problem-solving mindset. Those who manage to navigate the obstacles successfully enjoy a boost of confidence and self-esteem.

Crossing the walkway helps build muscular strength. The activity also helps kids improve their balance, learn about shifting weights and sharpen their coordination skills.

The results

The Soft Play water walk system has helped the Elkhorn Resort team achieve its goals.

our water walk is an everyday attraction

As play experts, the Soft Play team couldn’t have agreed more with the recommendations of the construction firm and the resort’s maintenance manager. Elkhorn’s leadership also approves of the addition, telling us the water walk is extremely popular and one of the best investments they’ve made into the water park. According to the resort manager, kids are actively engaging with it on a daily basis.

winter reservations are on the rise

The Elkhorn Resort saw an almost instant uptick in reservations after the opening of the water park. The facility was nearly sold out for every upcoming winter weekend within three months of its debut. Management reported that installing the water walk in its indoor aquatic area improved the lodge’s bookings in January, traditionally a quiet month.

boost your water park appeal with soft play

Soft Play has a tradition of achieving results with interactive play elements that emphasize fun and focus on quality. Since 1984, companies worldwide have partnered with our team to bring their water park visions to life.

In addition to our water walks, Soft Play designs and manufactures other engaging water play features like splash pads, floatables, water slides, and climbers and sprayers. We can help you attract more visitors with a proven element layout or customize features around your available space and budget.

Connect with a Soft Play representative for design consultation services or request a personalized quote online today.