An iconic part of Calgary’s Village Square Leisure Centre will soon be dismantled amid upgrades and repairs to the facility. Village Square Leisure Centre has an indoor water park, wave pool and waterslides – in addition to skating rinks, a gym and a weight room. It will be closing on Aug. 31 for service cycle upgrades, and when it does, the water park’s giant Thunder Run slide will be replaced. The winding blue slide is visible outside of Village Square, spiraling through a tall blue tower that extends several storeys up from the main building In a statement, the City of Calgary said the Thunder Run slide has created memories for generations of Calgarians since it was added in 1994. “We’ve seen the recent online conversation, and it’s clear how much the slide means to people who grew up visiting Village Square, bringing their families there and making memories at the facility,” a city spokesperson said. The city is planning to replace the existing Thunder Run slide with a new slide in the same general location. “The current slide and support structure are more than 30 years old and have reached the point where replacement is a more practical, long-term solution than continuing to repair the existing system,” the city said. “The new slide is intended to preserve the experience people remember, while improving reliability for future users.” Bruce Ottway, recreation facility team lead at the Village Square Leisure Centre, says he worked as the slide monitor in 1995 after graduating high school. “It was an amazing addition to Village Square Leisure Centre, it truly was,” he said. “Everyone was lined up from the moment that we opened until the moment that we closed – it was such a popular piece – and to this day remains a popular amenity to this centre. Because the Thunder Run protrudes from the building, the City of Calgary says it has been affected by the cold weather over the years, which can limit operation. “The replacement slide is planned to be fully enclosed, which will help protect it from the elements and support more reliable year-round use.” The existing slide will remain available until Village Square Leisure Centre closes for construction on Aug. 31. “We encourage Calgarians who have fond memories of the slide, or who want to experience it before work begins, to visit the facility this summer,” the city said. “We anticipate Village Square Leisure Centre, including the new slide, will reopen near the end of 2027.”
