Themed Environments

Canobie Lake Park is New England’s Amusement Theme Park known for its FUN! Realizing the need to create more FUN, Canobie Lake Park’s Castaway Island Water Ride underwent a large expansion. The Tiki resort-like atmosphere now features a wave pool, 60-foot water slides, a Tidal River, a Rain Fortress, a kid friendly lagoon, a Caribbean inspired restaurant with tiki bar and private cabana rentals that include a television, refrigerator and lockers.

This 100 year old family operated park has been keeping up with the times with renovations and updates throughout the years. Bomanite licensee, Harrington Bomanite has been a part of those additions for more than 30 years. Harrington Bomanite has installed many upgrades and enhancements throughout the park and was presented with its greatest challenge of the “Tidal River Project” an addition to the 45,000 square foot Castaway Island expansion. The overall renovation using the Bomanite Imprint Systems included multiple Bomanite stamped concrete patterns and color hardener and release agent colors installed as the decking, plaza, restrooms and water areas.

The most challenging aspect was to achieve a drainage system in the 2+ acres site, that satisfied state and local environmental concerns, while at the same time maintaining aesthetics demanded by the owner (and designer) Raymond Captell. Pavers were not part of the drainage solution. After months of brainstorming, Captell came up with an 8’ wide “meandering brook” concept of stamped concrete. The 8’ area was designed with a 4′ wide center area of the Bomacron Garden Stone pattern, then a 12″ wide drain grate on each side, which in turn was bordered with a 12″ Bomanite Textured Border. Below this 8′ wide area would be a 4′ deep engineered system of graded aggregates for drainage.

The challenging part for Harrington Bomanite was not just the pouring and stamping, but the forming. Harrington Bomanite accessed the design perimeters and was able to figure the best way to achieve Captell’s winding waterway concept and bring it to life with a custom aqua blue color hardener to give it the final appearance of water in a real-life brook. In the end, the two serpentine drains, totaling 380 linear feet, were able to infiltrate storm water and minimize runoff, while at the same time adding another aesthetic dimension to the overall deck.

The custom blue colors were also used in several tones and shades to mimic the ocean in the water reservoir and bathroom areas. Restroom concrete floors were textured with the Bomacron Sandstone Texture imprint and the bottom of the Tidal river with the Bomacron Light Slate Texture imprint. The beach areas were simulated with the Bomacron Regular Slate Texture and Light brown tones of Color Hardener and Release Agent to get that perfect sandy beach vibe. One final touch in creating that Tiki-resort design is the Bomacron 11.5” Boardwalk pattern running throughout the resort including the Lifeguard walk, thus making it the perfect Island getaway.

To start planning your island destination getaway to this Bomacron Stamped Concrete Theme Park visit: www.canobiepark.com

AWARDS:

Harrington Bomanite won the Outstanding Bomanite Project Grand Award and the Best Bomanite Imprint Systems Gold Award for their craftsmanship of the Canobie Lake Park Castaway Island Water Ride. For more photos visit the project profile.

The Great Wolf Lodge opened one of their latest resorts in Bloomington, MN. The Gensler Architect team was hired for the renovation project. With one of a kind entertainment options, Bomanite Licensee, Bulach Custom Rock (known for their work on themed projects) was able to provide 5,000 square feet of the specified flooring that matched the outdoor adventure theme. With the existing floor in place, Bulach Custom Rock came through with the Bomanite Thin-Set Stampable Overlay Toppings System in three different patterns that were used intersecting in multiple areas which provided some challenges for the layout.

The Great Wolf Adventure Park houses several non-water attractions, including the Rustic Ridge Rock Wall and the Howlers Peak Ropes Course, that guests embark on an invigorating, multi-level climbing challenge traversing over Oliver’s Mining Co. where they can search for keepsake gemstones. For the mining area Bulach Custom Rock created the look and feel of actual dirt and stones with the Bomacron Erosion Series Dried Earth Texture and the Bomacron Small Sandstone pattern.

Additional activities include MagiQuest, the brand’s exclusive live-action adventure game where players follow clues and use interactive magic wands to discover relics and runes needed to defeat a fierce dragon. The Bomacron Fishscale Belgian Block pattern was used to create that old world feel of stone castles. The MagiQuest area was produced using the Bomanite Shale Gray Integral Color then utilizing a Bomanite Natural Gray Color Hardener wash before it was sealed.

The difficulty of the project was in both access and area control. Whereas multiple trades were utilizing the same spaces at the same time, Bulach Custom Rock installed all the stampable overlay during the overnight hours with the use of mostly temporary lighting. Due to Bomanite Thin-Set’s benefits of being trafficked quickly, Bulach Custom Rock was able to have the flooring installed on schedule.

Bomanite Thin-Set is a specially formulated polymer modified topping mix that will bond to any stable, structurally sound substrate. This unique system allows the installation of a thin, imprinted concrete topping when installed at 3/8″ thick and can be feathered to a zero edge that was helpful when the overlay needed to seamlessly match up to an existing tile floor entrance for the Great Wolf Lodge.

Bomanite Thin-Set is an extremely effective alternative to the demolition or remodel of an existing substrate, making it a perfect choice for the Great Wolf Lodge Renovation.