It has not been determined what will happen to the sprawling property where Marineland is located, now closed, in Niagara Falls, Ont.
After the deaths of the amusement park’s owners, John Holer in 2018 and his wife and successor Marie Holer in 2024, the property was placed in a trust. The 323-hectare property is believed to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, the fate of the park’s 30 remaining beluga whales and other animals on the 323-hectare property is also uncertain, after Marineland’s request to the federal government to export the whales to China was rejected in recent weeks.
However, many residents of Niagara Falls and other areas in the region have an idea of what they want next, at least for the property: another amusement park.
“But maybe not with animals,” Dominic Cliffe told CBC in an interview.
Cliffe was three years old when he and his family moved to Niagara Falls and visited Marineland frequently. Now 18, he said he loved going there for the animals.
But things have changed. Founded in 1961, Marineland It did not open last season and has been closed to the public since late summer 2024. The park is attempting to sell its assets, including its attractions, but has faced financial and other challenges.
“Maybe it could be like a roller coaster park,” Cliffe said. “I don’t want to see them tear it all down because there’s a lot of good stuff there.”
Concerns about the local economy without a park
Ashley Mercer, a lifelong resident of Niagara Falls, had fond memories as a ride operator at Marineland.
“Just being able to give people that experience of coming to my city. […] and being excited to come to my city always made me feel very happy,” said Mercer, who now works at the Niagara Falls Fun Zone in Clifton Hill.
Clifton Hill is a street known for its tourist attractions, the only area of the city where roller coasters are still operating since the closure of Marineland.
Mercer hopes Marineland’s next owners can save the attractions and reopen.
“I miss it,” says Ashley Mercer, a former Marineland worker.
Devon Herrington believes it would be “a missed opportunity” not to convert the property into another amusement park.
“It’s important to the economy of Niagara Falls and, more or less, to the tourist experience,” he said.
While Herrington finds the conundrum between culling or exporting belugas “distressing” and “concerning,” he believes the park should keep the animals.
“It should be more about education and less about spectacle,” Herrington said.
Herrington said he would alternatively like to see signage, animatronics and video integration if they were to rebuild an animal amusement park.
“You could have something that’s a little more, you know, in the middle, so that people can still interact with them and understand it without having the animal physically there.”
Devon Herrington is among the Niagara residents interviewed by CBC who hope to see a new amusement park on the Marineland property.
Another resident of Niagara Falls, Kyle Sanderson He used to take his son to Marineland, where they both shared memories enjoying the rides.
Any type of zoo has the potential for animals to be mistreated. I’d rather not see that, but it would be nice to have a place to take our kids.-Kyler Sanderson, Niagara Falls resident
He would like to see an amusement park designed for children ages five to 12, “but without any of the animals.”
“It wouldn’t be too difficult to expand it, you know, since it’s kind of an amusement park,” he said, believing it’s the most realistic option for Marineland.
“Any type of zoo has the potential for animals to be mistreated,” Sanderson said. “I’d rather not see that, but it would be nice to have a place to take our kids.”
Chippawa resident Vicki Grandits never thought about bringing her children to Marineland, even though her husband once worked there.
“When I was a little girl, I liked to go. I remember seeing walruses, some dolphins and deer,” she said. “When I grew up, I started to see problems in the park, especially with the animals.”
Grandits would also like to see the space converted into another theme park to avoid having to drive to Canada’s Wonderland in Vaughan, which is a 145-kilometre drive from Niagara Falls.
“It would create jobs, more jobs, because right now, there’s not much going on in Niagara Falls. It just seems like there’s less and less,” Grandits added.
Niagara Falls mayor wants tourist attraction
People CBC spoke to echoed the sentiments of Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati.
In a recent interview, Diodati said he hopes the Marineland estate can return as a “world-class attraction” without the animals, and that the property can go up for sale once the animals are gone.
Marineland is currently managed by a trust, but funds to feed and care for the animals are running out, according to Diodati, who said he spoke with the park on October 9.
Hamilton resident Jeremy Ludkin visited the theme park as a child more than 35 years ago.
“It seems out of place now to go to a park, see the animals and have them in a situation where they perform for people,” Ludkin said.
I would love to see someone come back and take the love we all had for Marineland when I was a kid.– Ashley Mercer, Niagara Falls resident
“It’s unfortunate that we still can’t see them like we saw them in the past,” Mercer said, remembering the whale shows before they were canceled in 2019.
“Find new owners, even if it takes some investors. I would love to see someone come back and take the love we all had for Marineland when I was a kid.”
