Federal funding helps light up outdoor net park in Stouffville
Fun, fitness, and a magical night bouncing up in the trees among an array of “dazzling” lights are all part of the newest nighttime family adventure and experience available at Treetop Trekking Stouffville.
Uplå Aglow: Bounce Through the Stars has transferred Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park, North America’s largest outdoor net park, into a universe of light and sound.
The massive outdoor trampoline park with a series of elevated nets in the forest aims to provide a lot of fun and excitement while you get your heart pounding and work up a sweat.
“It’s essentially a big labyrinth of nets up in the trees,” said Treetop Trekking marketing director Mike Stiell of all the different nets and modules.
“Now you’re at night, up in the nets, bouncing around having this amazing experience under all these impressive lights,” added Stiell. “There’s quite a bit of movement and action, so it really takes it to another level of interest and excitement for people to enjoy.”
The local organization received a total of $225,000 in funding from the Government of Canada to create a new nighttime light experience in its Uplå activity area in Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park.
“The funding was for both the design of the light installation as well as some of the equipment and installation of the lighting,” said Stiell. “There was also some earmarked for the marketing of the activity.”
The federal support will also allow them to stay open more months out of the year and provide a new experience that will draw residents and visitors all year round.
“For quite a few years we’ve been trying to figure out a unique and different way to offer a lighting experience at the park,” said Stiell. “Not necessarily with Uplå, but Uplå is a newer activity. It’s only been open for a bit over a year for the daytime park and now with the nighttime that opened up in October.”
The federal government is investing in historic sites and tourism projects in York Region so they can create new products and experiences that will help Ontario’s tourism economy flourish for “generations to come.”
Recently, Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a combined grant of $470,000 through the Tourism Growth Program for three organizations, including Destination Markham, Treetop Trekking Bruce’s Mill, and Sharon Temple National Historic Site & Museum.
“Tourism businesses and organizations like Sharon Temple National Historic Site & Museum, Treetop Trekking Bruce’s Mill, and Destination Markham offer unique experiences to visitors and locals,” said Tassi. “They are economic drivers in their communities, stimulating job creation and contributing to the region’s overall prosperity.
“The Government of Canada knows the value in supporting tourism businesses and organizations who showcase the unique experiences and attractions Ontario has to offer.”
Stiell says that while there are a lot of other lighting activities that people can do, especially around the holidays, they’re all either walking on the ground very passively or driving in a car through a lit-up roadway in a park.
This is so different and so unique because you’re very active.
“You’re jumping, you’re moving, and in a lot of cases, you’re working up a sweat,” he said of the experience, which is open to everyone ages seven and up. “Certainly having fun, smiling, laughing. That’s what sets it apart from some of the other light experiences that are around right now. This one is very active.”
All of the different activities run by the Stouffville organization are about getting people active.
“We want people to be healthier, move, and be outside,” said Stiell. “Spend time with their family and friends, and most importantly be active. To have all the health benefits of physical activity.
“This allows us to do it in the winter, day or night. Yeah, checking a lot of boxes. It’s a very unique experience.”
The nighttime activity is open Friday evenings and Saturday evenings. With the Christmas holidays coming up, they have an extended schedule so that they’re pretty much open through the holidays with a few days off for Christmas, New Years, and Boxing Day.
As well as Uplå Aglow, there is a new lighting installation in their Treewalk Village, which is located next to it.
“We also used some of the funding for the lighting in there,” he said of Treewalk Village which has been open for 10 years and is geared for families with younger kids, ages 3 through 7 years old.
“Two great evening activities for families to do over the winter and the Christmas holidays. Those two activities are also open during the day and weekends.”
The experience lasts around an hour and a half and is open to people up to a maximum of 250 pounds.
Those looking to participate are required to wear closed-toed shoes like running shoes (no Crocs, or sandals) and long pants. Long hair is to be tied back and no jewellery.
Visit treetoptrekking.com for more information.
Photo: Uplå Aglow: Bounce Through the Stars has transferred Bruce’s Mill Conservation Park, North America’s largest outdoor net park, into a universe of light and sound. (Photo courtesy of Tina Weltz/Treetop Trekking)