Abbotsford (Abbotsford Council) – This week City Council visited a beloved Abbotsford landmark that has been bringing joy to local families (including ours) for generations.
On Feb. 18, Mayor Siemens and Councillors Chahal, Driessen, Gibson, Loewen and Ross visited Castle Fun Park as part of our Business Spotlight tour series. We learned about the history of the park, how they’ve resiliently built back after three floods, and their exciting plans for the future.
The tour was led by co-owners Brian Wiebe and Colleen Miller, two of the children of Castle Fun Park founders Hank and Doreen Wiebe, who first broke ground on the site in 1988. Today, more than 35 years later, Castle Fun Park sees more than 200,000 visitors annually from across the Lower Mainland, BC Interior and Washington State and employs more than 100 local seasonal workers, many of whom are youth and young adults getting their first jobs. Castle Fun Park has also been an economic driver for Abbotsford, supporting local businesses including contactors, food suppliers and maintenance services whenever possible.
A big part of the Castle Fun Park story is their resilience in building back after the 1990, 2021 and 2025 floods. We are inspired by their determination and by the outpouring of support they receive from the public in challenging times. During the tour, we got to see the renovations happening to the flood-damaged jungle-themed mini golf course, and we got a peek inside the iconic rotunda that has been closed for nearly five years since being damaged in the 2021 flood. We won’t give away any spoilers, but the owners have some big plans to add a bunch of unique attractions under the dome.
We were also pleased to learn that Castle Fun Park’s expansion is aligned with our Strategic Priorities. For example, they are supporting economic development by investing in their new expansion to bring more jobs and tourism to Abbotsford, and they are building community by being a welcoming space for people to come together and create bonds and memories. They are also in alignment when it comes to public safety and flood resiliency, as Castle Fun Park is proactively investing in emergency systems and berm infrastructure to keep their property, staff and guests safe.
We are grateful to Brian and Colleen for showing us around and for continuing to build on their parents’ legacy. One of the things that makes Abbotsford so special is the amount of multi-generational family-owned businesses that we have in our city. It just goes to show that Abbotsford is a tight-knit community where we stay close to our roots and value the things that have been passed down to us.
Like many Abbotsford residents, Castle Fun Park has been a part of our lives for a long time. Some of us on Council used to visit and attended birthday parties there when we were younger, and now we’re bringing our children and grandchildren. With a new generation of the Wiebe family at the helm, we’re excited to see what the future holds as Castle Fun Park continues to be a go-to destination for family fun for years to come.
