THUNDER BAY — Chippewa Park is set to have another busy summer of family-friendly events and activities for its 104th year.
On Friday, the campground opens for the season and events are scheduled starting Saturday with the first Sleeping Giant Dog Sports’ 2025 dog agility trials of the season.
Rides and concessions are open weekends 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., until the end of June, and Wednesday to Sunday (plus holidays) from July 2 until Labour Day.
Larger rides, such as the carousel bumper cars and Tilt-A-Whirls, will be available, as well as boats, planes and tanks for smaller children, said Iain Angus, the secretary of the Friends of Chippewa Park, speaking about the park’s upcoming season at City Hall on Thursday.
“Staff are just completing the process of assembling them,” said Angus.
“The TSSA will be there (Friday) to inspect them to make sure that they’re safe to operate and if all goes well, come Saturday at one o’clock, the rides will start.”
It will be the last summer that the century-old carousel remains open to the elements.
“This week we released the request for proposals for the building to house the carousel,” said Angus.
“So, if all goes well, construction will start in September and it’ll be done for next season.”
Thousands of people each summer and throughout the year choose to visit Chippewa Park, said Angus.
“It was the first-ever facility built for tourists in Northwestern Ontario. At one time, there were 36 rental cabins (and) a lodge with eight rooms, plus a number of tent sites. It’s evolved over the years,” said Angus.
Angus said the park now has seven fully accessible cabins, thanks to funding from the federal government, which enabled them to add hoists and tracks, allowing anyone who uses a wheelchair to easily transfer to their bed.
“Not many facilities in Thunder Bay have this kind of feature, so we’re very pleased with that,” said Angus.
He added that the park also features a fully modern RV park, which on many days, particularly on weekends, is full again with tourists.
In addition to these upgrades, three change rooms will be added at the park’s Sandy Beach.
In terms of new activities, Angus said there are two that are also in their second year.
“One is a watercolour workshop. Biljana Baker, a renowned local artist, is leading it, helping people understand how to paint natural scenes with watercolours. And then later on in July, we have the northwest judo workshop,” said Angus.
The NWO Judo Super Camp will run for five days, bringing together students and teachers nationwide, he said.
The park will also hold 10 free outdoor concerts, including the return of folk music with a special night with Rodney Brown on July 27.
“Back in the 60s, the folk scene started at Chippewa Park and it’s successor, the Last Spike came into existence and provided opportunities for many years,” said Angus.
“We’ve wanted to sort of recreate that historic event and so Rodney’s agreed to come and play the folk songs of the sixties as well as the odd bit of Dylan and some other key entertainers.”
The park has over 38 field days and up to 15 of the rooms at its pavilion booked throughout the summer, said Angus, and a busy schedule of events all season long.
May 30: Campground opens.
May 31: Dog agility trial, rides and concessions open for weekends.
June 7: The “Captain America: Brave New World” movie will begin at 10:30 p.m. and tickets are $19 per person.
June 8: The Kite Festival will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in field one.
June 18 and 19: The second annual En Plein Air Workshop will take place.
June 28: A lifeguard service will begin at Sandy Beach and run seven days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
July 2: Rides and concessions are open Wednesdays through Sundays and on holidays, all summer long
July 10: Rodney Brown will sing folk songs of the 60s at the Chippewa Park Pavilion Dance Hall.
July 19 and 20: The dog agility trial will start up again.
July 22 to Aug. 1: The NWO Judo Super Camp
July 24: The Sandy Beach Swimming Area Festival will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Sept 8: Labour Day will be the last day for rides and concession
Sept 13 and 14: The final dog agility trial will be held.
Sept 29: The last day the campground is open.
Residents looking for more information on the park’s upcoming schedule can visit its website.
