Optimist Hill — Attraction in Saskatoon

ABSOLUTEY ZERO safety protocols!

Sadly, i had to witness a horrying accident today.

1. TRAIL from the rental booth to the bottom of the hill (where the lift starts) doesn't have any guiding signs nor clear paths. This is a safety hazzard because skiers coming from the top can just easily cross-swipe walkers. In fact, i witnessed this little girl accompanied by an 'instructor' almost ran over by a skier. Instructor was not even paying attention to oncoming traffic nor said anything at all!

2. LIFT doesn't have any handrails of some sort. Anybody can be easily off-balanced, fall off the 3ft-wide lift, slide to bottom.

3. TAKEOFF LINE at top doesn't exist, anybody can start anywhere and anytime! Need to install gates (plus handrails) that marks the starting line and to regulate traffic.

4. NOT ENOUGH PERSONNEL to control the crowd. 2 personnel (top) & 1 personnel (bottom) managing 4 tube lanes is not enough.

5. TOP AND BOTTOM STATIONS do not have 'hold/clear communication'. BOTTOM should be providing the 'all clear' signal before the TOP let the next skiers go. This is a VERY BASIC safety protocol on all slide rides! Surprised that a paid-park in a populated city of a 1st-world nation doesn't realize this!

6. AGE/HEIGHT LIMIT. The height and speed of the ride don't seem to be safe for small children.

7. BARRIERS in between lanes need to be higher and thicker. Especially at the bottom where there's actually NOTHING AT ALL, allowing the tubes to swerve to adjacent lanes.

And so i witnessed this today. A group of 4 adults with their tubes tied together; at half-way of the ride realized that another tube swerved to their lane. This single rider reached the bottom first. But instead of staying on its lane, it somehow crossed the gap in the barrier ending up in the lane of the oncoming traffic. Its horrying to relive the scene in my head... Situations like this, you would expect that they'll hault operation at least to cleanup the BLOOD scattered on the ground. But no! personnel at the bottom just asked the blooded victim to move to the side as there's more oncoming traffic, so outrageous! Park Manager cameover to assist and call 911. While waiting for the ambulances, Park Manager consistently yell on people to stop cutting through 4 lanes, risking to be hit by oncoming traffic. PM also instructed the personnel to add more skid pads, obviously they failed initially to install enough. 15-25mins later, ambulances arrived. Park doesn't have a clear access to emergency vehicles, so they'll have to cut through a part of the fence to make way for the paramedics. The injured had to walk uphill on a knee-deep ice to reach the ambulance, unbelievable! While at the hospital, victim's Dad called up the Park to ask if they'll be doing any investigation... towards the end of the phonecall, Park resorted to offer a season pass... really!!! So ridiculous!

Obviously, this place violates all safety regulations, can't the City see this, how come it passed all safety inspections? This place needs a TOTAL OVERHAUL of their safety protocols. They need to employ people who can really run big operations that involves people lives. This is not just a review, but to suggest REFORMS, to avoid similar incidents from...

Optimist Hill in Saskatoon is a fantastic destination for winter fun, perfect for families, friends, or anyone looking to enjoy the snow without leaving the city. The hill offers a variety of activities including snow tubing, skiing, snowboarding, and a terrain park, catering to both beginners and more experienced winter sports enthusiasts. One of the best features is the conveyor-style lifts, which make getting back to the top easy and allow visitors to spend more time enjoying the slopes.

The hill is well-maintained, with a cozy chalet for warming up, gear rentals, food and beverage options, and restroom facilities. The staff are friendly and helpful, creating a safe and welcoming environment. Optimist Hill is especially great for families with kids, as it offers activities suitable for all ages, making it an ideal spot for a day out.

However, it can get crowded during weekends and holidays, so visiting earlier in the day is recommended to avoid long lines. Snow conditions are weather dependent, and sometimes artificial snow is needed to maintain the slopes. Prices for rentals and tickets can add up, but the overall experience makes it worth it.

Overall, Optimist Hill is a top choice in Saskatoon for fun filled...

Colby, the Snowboard Whisperer!

If you’re looking for a snowboard instructor who can transform chaos into snow-carving perfection, Colby is your guy. We brought our three kids (yes, three) to him for their first day on the slopes, and let’s just say they started out looking like baby giraffes on ice. But by the end of the lesson, they were shredding down the bunny hill like mini Olympians.

Colby’s patience is superhuman. He somehow managed to keep a straight face when our youngest tried to snowboard backwards and even turned it into a learning moment. He’s got the perfect mix of humor, encouragement, and skill. The kids were laughing, learning, and (most importantly) NOT crying — a rare trifecta for any family activity.

We’re convinced Colby has magic snowboarding powers, or at least the ability to make kids love the sport in record time. If you’ve got beginners, don’t even think twice—book a lesson with Colby. The only downside? Now our kids think he’s cooler than us.

10/10 would recommend and will definitely be back. Thanks for an...