The Capital Regional District’s first trampoline fun park will be bouncing into Esquimalt this fall.
Flying Squirrel Victoria will include 20,000-square-feet of trampoline and trampoline-related features and obstacles, such as slam-dunk hoops, dodge ball courts (where people can throw balls at each other in the air) and three foam pits.
The facility will also include high performance development and parkour programs, where kids can learn how to do tricks without getting hurt.
“We’re hoping to provide a fun, clean, safe environment for kids and adults to step outside of the normal realm of exercise and outside of their comfort zone,” said Alex Campbell, co-founder of Flying Squirrel Victoria.
Currently, Flying Squirrel has a flagship facility in Calgary, with locations opening in Ottawa, South Calgary and Hamilton, Ontario and one in Abbotsford in the Lower Mainland.
Campbell, a former Nanaimo resident, said Esquimalt was the perfect place to set up shop because of the regional district’s active population. He hopes the facility will allow kids to try new things while simultaneously building their self-esteem.
“I’ve been in the action sports industry for the majority of my life and this (facility) came from a passion for sport,” Campbell said “Nothing like this ever existed when I was growing up and we wanted the opportunity to bring this facility to Victoria and help kids gain some self-confidence.”
The founders of Flying Squirrel have also developed a new trampoline technology to increase safety and reduce injuries at their Esquimalt facility.
RJ Senko, vice president of the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce, said the unique facility will draw people from all around the regional district to the township.
“We’re obviously happy when any new enterprise chooses Esquimalt to locate and it seems like a very exciting and innovative idea. We’re very much looking forward to them joining the business community in Esquimalt,” Senko said.
“It’s the only one of its type in the Capital Regional District. Hopefully there is a cliente from around the region that will utilize it, which is always positive to bring people into Esquimalt and hopefully while they’re there, they’ll also patronize some of the on-going businesses in Esquimalt.”
The facility is set to open in fall 2016.
For more information visit the Facebook page, Flying Squirrel Victoria.