Amazoo Water Park / Zoo de Granby

For more than 25 years, a Vortex aquatic play area welcomed families visiting Amazoo Water Park at Zoo de Granby. As guest expectations continued to evolve, the Zoo saw an opportunity not simply to replace aging infrastructure, but to completely reimagine one of its most popular attractions. The result is Booshikë, a destination-scale aquatic play environment that replaces the original 1999 installation with an entirely new experience designed around immersion, accessibility, discovery, and family interaction.

Inspired by the atmosphere of a tropical jungle, the project was developed as a complete environment rather than a collection of individual play features. Every aspect of the attraction — from the circulation pathways and play progression to the theming, graphics and custom components — was designed to create a cohesive guest experience. Tropical vegetation, oversized leaves, butterfly-inspired details, custom colors and graphic elements establish a visual identity unique to Booshikë and reinforce the destination’s immersive character.

The revitalized attraction is organized into three complementary play environments designed to support different ages, abilities and levels of interaction. At the heart of the project stands a custom Elevations™ L7 structure designed for older children and young teens seeking more dynamic aquatic experiences. Featuring seven platforms, twenty-nine water play activities and three waterslides, the structure creates a progression of elevated play experiences that encourage exploration, movement and repeat engagement.

Supporting the main attraction is a second custom Elevations™ L12 structure designed around inclusive family participation. Equipped with four platforms, nineteen water play activities, two waterslides, and an integrated accessible ramp, the structure creates opportunities for children of different abilities to engage together. Accessibility was one of the project’s defining principles, helping create an environment where families can participate side by side rather than separately. The Zoo itself identified accessibility as one of the project’s key priorities.

Together, the two Elevations™ structures contribute 48 interactive water play activities, 11 elevated platforms and five waterslides, creating one of the most ambitious aquatic play environments ever delivered in Quebec.

Extending throughout the site, the custom Splashpad® environment covers approximately 1,500 square meters and incorporates 65 aquatic play elements carefully selected to encourage discovery, collaboration, sensory development and interactive water play. The play experience combines spray features, interactive effects, water tunnels, directional jets, custom waterfalls, themed products and family-focused gathering areas to create a destination capable of serving a wide range of users simultaneously.

A dedicated Lagoon zone introduces younger children to aquatic play through lower-intensity experiences designed around early exploration and discovery. This softer play environment complements the more active family and adolescent zones while maintaining visual and thematic continuity throughout the destination.

One of the project’s most distinctive elements is the level of customization incorporated throughout the design. Several thematic features were developed specifically for Booshikë, including oversized tropical leaf elements, custom graphics, decorative barriers, and butterfly-inspired components created to support the attraction’s jungle-inspired identity. Originally developed for this project, some of these signature elements have since contributed to the evolution of Vortex’s product offering.

Officially described as the largest aquatic play attraction of its kind in Quebec, Booshikë demonstrates how a legacy aquatic play area can be transformed into a modern destination experience. By replacing the original 1999 installation in its entirety, the project delivers a new generation of aquatic play built around accessibility, immersive theming, elevated play, family engagement, and long-term guest appeal.

About Zoo de Granby

In addition to being a must-see attraction in Quebec, Zoo de Granby is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to take action to preserve the animal world. Since 1953, the Zoo has served as a conservation organization through awareness-raising activities, in-the-wild conservation efforts, and the funding of scientific research programs. Whether focused on local or international wildlife, Zoo de Granby’s Mission Faune initiative aims to accelerate the implementation of concrete actions to protect our biodiversity! It calls for action and change—now and for future generations.