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KELOWNA - It all began in 1979, in the backyard of a Kelowna handyman who built castles. Hank Wiebe had a background in construction and as a young father, he wanted to become his own boss.

He and his wife Doreen took a gamble and with the help of friends and business partners, opened their own amusement park. In 1981, Scandia was born.

Although Hank and Doreen sold their shares and moved to Abbotsford to open what is now Castle Fun Park in 1989, Scandia Golf & Games lived on.

Thirty-eight years later, the amusement park stands on the original location, as popular as ever for kids and adults alike. It’s grown over the years, as more activities and high-tech games have been added.

However, there are a few things that have remained exactly the same.

The outdoor golf course, taken on August 1 2019.

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Countless birthday parties have been hosted at Scandia, and no party would ever be complete without the performance of the larger than life, automated animal characters on stage in the party room. Just as creepy as we all remember them as kids, these wide-eyed mascots won’t be fading from memory anytime soon.

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Another iconic landmark of Scandia is the blue and white castle in the outdoor mini-golf. Along with the giant windmill out front, its the first thing you see when pulling up to the park off Highway 97.

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Although the indoor Jungle golf has been a part of Scandia from the very beginning, the downstairs has been completely renovated following the basement flooding from Mill Creek in the summer of 2017.

Patrons may remember crossing the bridge to the Scandia entrance that year and looking into the rushing, a much higher creek in alarm, as the water levels had risen exponentially.

Unfortunately, the entire park had to temporarily close May 6, 2017, when Mill Creek overflowed its banks and muddy water filled the outdoor course and flooded the basement, 30 cm deep.

After seven months of renovations and repairs, Jungle Golf was re-opened to the public.

The indoor Jungle golf course, remodelled after flooding in summer of 2017.

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Scandia used to have bumper cars, but around 10 years ago with new ownership, these were replaced by an outdoor Go Kart track. 

Go Kart track at Scandia.

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The games have changed drastically over the years, although some of the classics remain, such as the older arcade games like the Simpsons, the Teenage Ninja Turtles, Tetris and Mortal Combat. 

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Recently, one of the classic games at Scandia, Ski Ball, has been replaced by a digital bowling game, The Lane Master. Rather than rolling the ball into the pockets, players roll the ball towards a screen displaying pins, and a computer calculates the score based on the angle the ball enters the slot at the end of the game. Some may be disappointed by the modern upgrade, as the older games at Scandia evoke a certain nostalgia. However, with the amount of use on these machines, upgrades are to be expected.

The Lane Master has replaced one of the original Scandia games, Ski Ball.

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Here is a photo of the games room at the back of the building, taken about five years ago.

Here are some photos of the games room, taken in August 2019. 

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Some of the older games remaining at Scandia.

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Although much has changed, there are still relics of the original Scandia everywhere you look.

Scandia is open every day from 9:30 a.m. until midnight.

If you have guests in town, this is the place to go. 

To contact a reporter for this story, email Brie Welton or call (250) 801-9235 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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News from © iNFOnews, 2019