Can we have Disneyland or at least Tatralandia in Canada?

I'm just wondering if you've ever thought about why it is so difficult in Canada to find a place where the whole family could have fun. Of course, some people go to a camping place, to a hockey or ball game, to the movies or to a fair.

But it really isn't easy to find something like Disneyland or Disney World, which are co-called "theme parks" where you could spend a couple days with your family.

Is Canada so poor that it can't afford having a theme park where the whole family - from toddlers to centenarians could simply have fun and spend quality time together (sorry for this term, used so often for simple going out to the movies or a ball game or even watching a rented movie and eating pop corn...).

I think it isn't question of money, but rather of having big ideas, courage and imagination, which may be lacking here in this great country, while other countries are doing much more. For example, Disneyland is now not only in Anaheim and Florida, but also in Paris, France, in Japan and in Hong Kong.

My family and I love the time we spent in Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. It really is the happiest place on the Earth and every Canadian child would benefit from going there, meeting Disney characters and riding fantastic attractions - it's an experience you'll never forget.

However, just recently - while surfing the Net - I've found another such place -- but surprisingly in one of the least developed countries in Europe, namely Slovakia...

I'm sure you'll be completely amazed - just as I was - when you will go there. This place is the Tatra Mountains - amazing, beautiful, exceptionally beautiful place (but don't we have such places in Canada too?). It is called Tatralandia. Well, the Slovaks weren't too creative with the name, but instead they were incredibly thoutful in designing the whole complex. It consists of the following major areas, each with different facilities, activities and unique atmosphere:

- Holiday Village Tatralandia
- Aquapark Tatralandia
- Tatra-Therm-Vital

Let's just talk a bit about Aquapark. They have there 21 water slides and tube tracks of different shapes and length. Examples: FREE FALL - the steepest tube in Slovakia - more than 35 m long free falls in open tube; DOUBLE FALL - 40 m long adrenaline-filled tube with two waves; ANAKONDA - the longest tube in Slovakia - 146 m long, with a possibility of riding on inflatable wheels; BLACK HOLE - 1100 m long ride in complete darkness; KAMIKADZE - straight ride in a closed tube. ALL-YEAR-ROUND TUBES: ROCKET - opened tube with possibility of riding on inflatable wheels and falling into thermal pool; SNAKE - double-colored tube with possibility of riding water bob-sleigh and falling into thermal pool; VOLCANO - open all year long; you can fell the power of thermal water flowing from depth earth. WATER SLIDES: TRIPLE SPLASH - 40 m triple-track slide; NIAGARA - 30 m long triple-track slide with a possibility of riding water bob-sleigh headfirst. CHILDREN´S TUBES AND SLIDES: LITTLE NIAGARA - unique triple-track slide for the youngest in the pool with 21 attractions; AMAZONIA - original tube within interactive castle in the children´s pool.

Most of the attractions in Aquapark Tatralandia are in operation all year round. For example, six pools (out of nine) are in operation. Out of these six pools, four are relaxation pools and two other pools contain attractions – two of them are under roof, with the water temperature from 36 to 38 °C. Also, four indoor tubes (out of 21 tubes and slides) are in operation all year round - „Snake“ and „Rocket“ with the landing right into thermal pool and a possibility of riding on pads or inflatable wheels, the last two are "OKEY No Limits" and "Volcano".

Sounds and looks great, isn't it? Would you be glad to have something like that in your community? In your province at least?

There is much more there in Tatralandia... Let's visit now Holiday Village:

For example, Central Park is the place where you can find all kinds of sports grounds (tennis courts, volleyball, bowling, chess and more). Children's World offers magic amotsphere evoked by fairy-tale houses, playgrounds, climbing frames and swings. Indian Settlement is the area where "white men" can smoke a pipe, sit in a big comfortable tepee. Fisherman's Cave is great for fishing fans. At Scout Camp children can try various sports activities... Craftsman's Yard is a settlement designed to show the craft and the tools of carpenters, shingle-makers, potters, blacksmiths, shoemakers as well as medicine men, bakers, basket makers. Have fun by trying to become one of them. There is also Romantic Garden - you'll be charmed by romantic colours on the facades of apartments, by open fireplace. The wooden garden house provides relaxing atmosphere to be remembered for years to come.

At the Vintners you will find yourself in another world. This special character of the settlement is created by imaginative paintings on the facades of the bungalows. At the Farmyard yard you will meet many of your favourite animals.

Western City offers excellent program in genuine atmosphere of the Wild West, where you will not just have a ball, but you will test your knowledge in unusual competitive events, such as: horseback riding, electric bull riding, panning for gold, cracking the whip and shooting with bow. An evening program may include gunfights between outlaws and lawmen, demonstrations of horsemanship for movies and stunt-men purposes, country ball, fashion parade and fireworks and pyrotechnic effects.

But there is still much more going on there, because we've not talked yet about Tatra-Therm-Vital, which is a unique combination of 16 steam, water and massage baths, saunas, etc. They activate all human senses by bringing enjoyment from water (hydro-therapy), uplifting fragrances (aroma-therapy), music (musico-therapy) and warmth.

Massages, relaxation zone with a bar, children corner, vital world Tatra-Therm-Vital, and winter sauna centre with cooling right outdoors are open all the year round. Animation programmes also take place in Tatralandia all the year round, and the atmosphere will be completed by pleasant music, karaoke, competitions and many surprises.

As you see Tatralandia is a fantastic place where all of your family members could have great time by participating in sport, entertainment, relaxation and even healing programs. Have you ever thought why we don't have anything like that in Canada? Because nobody ever thought about it, never imagined that? Or because we don't care - the simpler the better?

If you like what you've just saw at the Tatralandia example, would you be interested in doing something to change that? Isn't it high time to change the way we relax, have family time, spend our holidays? To have them more colourful, funnier and healthier?

Why do spend money on "shooting galleries" and similar initiatives and don't have money for good-quality family recreation? Is it better to spend money on those few who don't intend to recover or on a project like Tatralandia - promoting healthy lifestyle and entertainment. If Canada can't learn how to create such facilities from the USA, maybe we have to learn from somebody else - like Slovakia. In fact, it would make perfect sense because that country - like our - takes pride in their natural beauty. But the contrast between our countries is that they do a lot to utilize that beauty and they benefit from it handsomely.

Can we built one or two Tatralandia-like resorts in Canada. What do you think?

Helen