The 'Thunder Run', Village Square Leisure Centre's iconic waterslide, set to be replaced

'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

The Thunder Run waterslide, a fixture at one of northeast Calgary’s largest leisure centres since 1994, is set to be removed, the city confirmed Tuesday. The iconic blue waterslide will be replaced when Village Square Leisure Centre in Pineridge undergoes a year-long closure that starts later this summer in order to undergo major repairs. The work, which will begin in September, includes upgrades to the long-serving recreation facility’s electrical and mechanical systems and replacement of its boilers and air handling units.

As part of the upcoming renovations, the city is planning to replace the existing Thunder Run slide with a new slide in the same general location, a spokesperson confirmed in a statement. “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,” a spokesperson said in an email. “Village Square Leisure Centre has been part of Calgary’s recreation story for more than 40 years, and the Thunder Run slide has created memories for generations of Calgarians since it was added in 1994.”

The Thunder Run, which at one point was sponsored by Pepsi, is six storeys tall and 173 metres (568 feet) long, according to the Village Square Leisure Centre’s website. The slide will remain available for use until Village Square Leisure Centre closes for construction on Aug. 31. “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,” the city spokesperson said.

“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 renovated Village Square Leisure Centre, including the new slide, will reopen near the end of 2027. Catch up with the day’s headlines, curated by our editors and delivered to your email inbox at lunchtime on every business day.

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