The Kuipers received the Maple Leaf Award from Milford, Ohio-based Leisure Systems, Inc. in recognition of their dedication to the Jellystone Park system in Canada during the past year. It was the fourth time the Kuipers have received the award in the past six years.
The Kuipers have provided assistance to the owners of the Jellystone Park in Borden-Carlton, Prince Edward Island, which began operations as a Jellystone Park in 2016, according to Ashley Kuipers, who serves as the marketing manager for the Kingston park.
The Kuipers themselves have only been Jellystone Park operators since 2012, but they have quickly come up to speed on park operations, while making improvements.
Indeed, since they acquired the campground six years ago, the Kuipers have made consistent improvements, redoing their swimming pool, making upgrades on their cabins and replacing their pancake shack with a new enlarged concession stand with a covered patio.
This past year, the Kuipers have also remodeled their recreation hall, added and upgraded 30 campsites, including adding eight new pull through sites with 50 amp electrical connections, and adding water and power connections to their tent sites.
“Business has gone up every year since they purchased the campground,” Ashley Kuipers said, adding that it has increased by 40 percent over the past six years.
The novelty of a Jellystone Park also helps bring in business, particularly from families.
Only Jellystone Parks have Yogi Bear™ and Boo Boo™, and Jellystone Parks are famous for providing fun, family activities and themed weekends, including a chocolate themed weekend with a chocolate pudding eating contest, a cookie face challenge and a ladies wine and chocolate social; a pirates and mermaids weekend; , and Christmas in July, which includes campsite decorating contests, campsite caroling and cookie and ornament making activities. The increasingly popular Halloween themed weekends include costume and campsite decorating contests and trick or treating activities.
Other park amenities include a gem mining sluice, two jumping pillows and a miniature golf course.
The Jellystone Park in Kingston reopens for the summer camping season on May 11. For more information, please visit www.jellystonens.com.
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