JUST ADD WATER


Who knew a Canadian company founded by a CPA was a world leader in the waterpark industry. Along the way Geoff Chutter has had his ups and downs, but it’s been a thrilling ride by Kerry Banks photography by Jimmy Jeong


N APRIL, GEOFF CHUTTER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF WHITEWATER WEST INDUSTRIES, flew to California to attend the Thea Awards, the themed entertainment industry’s version of the Oscars. The black-tie event is usually dominated by industry heavy- weights such as Disney and Universal Studios, but Chutter’s Canadian waterpark company took home the Technology Award for designing a ride that combines


aquatic thrills with interactive gaming soſtware. Called Slideboarding, it’s a huge hit with teenagers. The attraction, which has been installed in a dozen waterparks and will soon be featured on a 5,179-passenger cruise ship, flings riders down a twisting tube on a scooped-out board, while they try to press coloured buttons on the handle of the board that correspond to flashing lights on the interior walls. The game tracks the riders’ scores over the course of a visit, as well as through a downloadable app that simulates the ride, and creates more difficult challenges as their skill improves. It’s rare for a waterpark to win a Thea Award and Chutter is justifiably proud, but inno-


vation and a willingness to push the technical envelope has been a WhiteWater hallmark since Day 1 and a major reason why it is a world leader in the design and creation of water- parks and in the manufacturing of waterpark equipment and attractions. “We try to make creative visions real. We’re always looking to achieve the wow factor,” says Chutter, noting his favourite WhiteWater creation — the Boomerango, a scream-and-laughter-inducing


30 | CPA MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2017


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