I'm that Jeremy guy! Lol Thanks Matthew! I'm so greatful to have had the opportunity to help you with this project! I will never forget how much fun I had working on Raging Rapids in its near full glory days of the early 2000's. Thanks again for such an amazing video, it brings back so many memories of my childhood and the countless hours spent working at one of the world's best water parks! =D Side note/question: I remember calling the 'Turn' position 'Corner'. Was Turn the original name, before my time working there?
I had actually heard both (after we spoke) - and meant to mention there were two names... but somewhere along the way the word 'Turn' got stuck in my head. Thanks again for all your help on this video. If I ever see an Orbitz, it'll be yours. ;)
I remember drinking those Orbitz drinks in the late 1990s. They used to sell them at the Canex store at CFB North Bay. If I recall correct, there was a coconut flavored Orbitz that was real good. I didn't mind the suspended gel in the drink. I guess too many people hated it, and this nifty beverage disappeared.
Best Edmonton Mall deal!! I remember Orbitz that would be awesome, definitely let me know if you find any or maybe some more WWP Pepsi ;) And you are most welcome, Raging Rapids means a lot to me so I'm so happy I could meet you and help with this video :)
Fantastic watching this, you had such a great thing originally, what did they expect with cutting off half of it! And thank you for being ‘That Jeremy Guy’ and providing your footage, you must all have had so much fun, and got so many distinct and distant memories of it. 👍🏻
@@englishruraldoggynerd thank you! I absolutely have some amazing memories! I worked on Raging Rapids back when I was in high school around 2001-2002. Back then it still had the famous waterfall at the bottom so I feel very privileged and honoured to have helped with this project. It was hands down my favorite attraction at the mall with the Drop of Doom a very close second. Something not mentioned in the video but a fun fact and perk of working tube ride was finding sliders loose change on the bottom, you'd be surprised just how much I found! 😂😂
I honestly thought I was losing my mind when I tried the new yellow slide and thought to myself "this used to be a lot wider with multiple paths". I'm glad this video validated my sanity.
This was also in the Tom Scott newsletter! Three videos from one person - I don't remember him doing something like this in a while. And I get why he loved this so much - it's great content! Here's his text: And then the mall waterpark also had what looks like one of the best rapids rides ever made(hyperlink to this video)? And the channel's filming in the old, dry, decaying flumes, presumably with permission? This channel is called "Best Edmonton Mall", and it's been quite a while since I've been this impressed by a small channel. I recommend all three of those videos.
I was a supervisor in the early '90s and I know this ride caused many issues! The "Corner" was brutal for spinal injuries as tubers tended to flip backward hitting their heads on the wall. Once the water shut off button was hit it took a fair bit of time for the water to recede to get a spine board in there and removal was tough due to the slippery incline to bottom. We had to be really creative in how we did this. Another issue was the unwanted touching that kept happening on the ride, which was a major reason we had so many guards on there. The ride stayed open later and was a dark area so hard to supervise fully. I had many complaints from parents and teen girls Also, I know the rubberized foam padding needed to be replaced in sections due to people getting limbs caught in it. This removal was met by a paint replacement on the slide section. Not a good idea as skin and bone on concrete = massive abrasions and burns... on many days the ride line was dwarfed by the first aid station line we had set up for that ride itself! We ran out of bandaids and gauze at times. SOO many great memories working there, sad to see some of the old rides gone. I'm taking my kids there this Spring break ... should be a time warp! Thanks for doing this! I would like to find the footage from the Much music show they did with Dan Gallagher in 93'ish ... also Archie comics did a comic with thieves that ended up in the water park... I remember the writers hanging out for the day...
I was in the boat of "why would they get rid of the best ride there" until your comment unlocked the memories of these persistent problems. I got scraped and bruised many times and witnessed a few of the serious injuries. I totally forgot about the unfortunate knowledge which all teenage girls who went to the waterpark shared: do not get too close to strange male riders in the dark areas of the Rapids. My friends and I would make sure that we never left the middle area on our own.
Honestly this makes a lot of sense. I am certified as a lifeguard and getting a spine board on a regular slide is such a pain I can’t imagine how bad it would be on the tube slide. Also my mom works closely with EPS and she says they still get a lot of reports about people creeping on little kids and groping teens at the water park.
Ah I knew I was remembering correct when I told friends the old ride was fun but a total liability! I remember having a lot of fun on this ride but also that it was dangerous so I was overly cautious on it. Accidents still happen though and that corner was a nightmare. I hadn't even thought about how bad getting a rescue/medical team in there would have been, wow. Amazing that someone had enough money to build this but didn't bother to account for real physics instead of some Loony Toons physics.
I was a supervisor at the water park early 2000s. Staff either loved or hated working tube ride, not much middle ground. Ya there were a lot of injuries at corner, couple ambulance calls a week in the busy season. I also remember all the humidity in the air, mixed with the chlorine would cause some of the staff to get a cough that was named “tube ride cough”.
Not sure what it is but it seems sometimes they put in wayyy too much chlorine into the wavepool to the point where you cough so bad your throat and chest burn. Happened to me a couple times, One day it was so bad everybody in the pool was coughing and when my family and I were changing a lifeguard or slide attendant im not sure, came running in she was coughing so bad she couldnt breathe and passed out we had to go get medical attention and they had to call her an ambulance. Usually its not too bad, but sometimes we go and its very bad.
Oh the chlorine and the "tube ride cough" the way my buddy who was a lifeguard "back in thr day" pointed out, the water starts at the tube ride, goes to the slides, then the wave pool and then back for treatment. And that was why working the top of the tuberide gave you a cough
@@SARA-kh1kp yeah one time like 4 years ago when I was there with a bunch of friends my eyes were burning so bad from what I assume was the wavepool. It got so bad that when we were sitting in the hot tub by sun runner I couldn't even see anything beyond the edge of the pool clearly because my vision was so blurry. Ended up dumping water from the Coke machines into my eyes and that helped a bit, but it only got better after I left.
I remember at the bottom of the original ride, there was a big waterfall you had to go through before reaching the exit. The ride attendants could not clearly see you through the falling water so you could sneak back up to the last drop and take it again. Eventually, they would catch on and chase you out, lol! One of my best memories of the Raging Rapids!
The summer pass was an amazing deal even for its time. $50 for unlimited visits to either park and a July & August bus pass. I had one from ages 13 when it first started to 15. At 13 and 14 I was at the waterpark at least twice per week and I made the trek all the way from Hermitage in NE Edmonton via #73, LRT, and #100 bus (or was it 101?) I would always lounge around in mid. Only to be pulled into the final section by an attendant. It was by far my favourite ride.
The second variation was really cool, they wired lights into the tunnels at the straight away section it was super trippy and fun it was my favourite slide in the park I'm heartbroken to hear it's gone 😢
Best Edmonton Mall Fully agreed. I was only kid when I use to ride on it (late 90s to early 00s), and it’s still the slide of which I have the fondest memories. The moment of anticipation before heading down the through the tunnel was fantastically nerve-wrecking. I also miss the original blue bullet... glad it got a mention as well.
I was lucky enough to ride this ride . Was one of my favorites for sure ... On another note can you consider making a video about the hidden places within West Edmonton mall ? There had been a rumor that there was a future lrt station built under the mall at the time of construction of the mall back in the 80's or even a bunker of some kind . I had heard even classrooms were built under the mall as well .
Yes there are classrooms! I went in my preschool feildtrip, cant remember exactly where it was but you cant acsess it without a pass and your school info with your principal at Ricks
One time at the elevator by the movie theatre by hmv it went to the basement by mistake I only went a few feet out and looked around but it was super creepy. It was middle of summer and all around was the Christmas decorations and super long hallways. Ran back to the elevator because I was scared I might get stuck down there since I went down there by mistake.
I remember the original raging rapids as a kid and I definitely remember having to ready myself for the last drop and tight turn to avoid getting flipped haha. It was definitely my favorite slide in the entire park. I also remember the shock of riding it after the changes, going through the lighted tunnel and thinking "woa this is different" thanks for a walk down memory lane 😊
Hey I remember this (OG version, we left Edmonton in 1989)! The waterpark was my favourite attraction in the entire mall and we used to beg and beg and beg my mom to take us. And in the waterpark, the raging rapids was by far my favourite ride, too. I remember hanging around that middle section for ages. Kids were pretty unsupervised back then so I would be with my little friends from school and we'd just hang out going down it over and over for hours. I can still recall how pleasant the water temp was - not too warm, not too cool. Perfect, especially in an Edmonton winter... Curious if anyone else commenting remembers a store called Mariposa? As a little girl that was the store I always wanted to buy all my clothes from, because it was where all the cool older girls got theirs. Anyway, great vid, great nostalgia trip, thank you. :)
Hey There @Best Edmonton Mall I was rewatching this video of yours and you missed a small part of Raging Rapids History. The second right path between the middle and the jam between the time when the entire right bath was working and when the right path was cut shorter. Right when Sun Runner came in, a bit of the sun runners path caught into the second Right bath between the middle and the jam removing a bit of the wall of the path of the slide causing the path to be closed. And for a short time, there was no second right path. It was still there but they blocked it off both ends for no water to run through. (In the photos of the jam getting removed and other photos you can see the entrance and exit of the second right path blocked off) It was like that for a VERY VERY short time before the got rid of the jam entirely.
It is hard to see this slide go. I haven’t been to west ed water park for about 3 years. This is the first time I was told it closed. I remember a phase about 5 years ago (2014) when it was only one path without the blue tube. I didn’t even know there was a blue tube until I watched this video. God... I cannot believe its gone. I was planning on going to the water park again soon, and go on that ride first. It was my favourite. Well, at least we all have our memories. I’ll miss it dearly.
I rode this ride in I think 2003-ish and I loved it!! I still think back on it every now and then as my favourite waterpark attraction. so sad to hear it's no more, I'd always hoped to go back and ride it again as an adult. lazy rivers are the best!
It was pretty much my favourite ride there. When I was a lot younger, it was somewhat harder to navigate, but once I got somewhat taller it was a joy to be able to relax, yet still move through it.
I was a kid when riding this ride and one of lucky few to experience the original rapids the way it was meant to be ridden. It really saddens me that Water park has changed its true magic and palm tree getaway feels it once had how tropical it all felt. That's something we can all hold onto.
Greetings from Japan again. These videos definitely help a lot with the homesickness that comes with living abroad. I didn't arrive in the Edmonton area until 1999, so I think I missed the heyday of this slide.
Awesome video!!! I was one of the unlucky ones to get injured on that slide back in 1992. I flipped over at the bottom of the turn & hit the back of my neck on the small exposed part of concrete at the bottom the slope where it met the flat part. I remember them putting me into a stretcher on the slide & taking an ambulance ride all the way to Mill Woods despite there being hospitals much closer. They were concerned it was a serious spinal injury but it ended up being not bad & I had full mobility within a few days. A couple years later, I went on the slide again & fell the exact same way & hit my head on pretty much the same spot, but wasn’t hurt lol. In spite of all that, I loved that slide too!!!
I remember when I was a kid the lazy rivers jam definitely wasnt there and I dont think the middle part was either but I remember there being 2 different paths. I also remember the tube lineup and running as fast as we could to the slide entrance. Also werent their lights in one of the lazy river tunnels? I also remember being on the white lightning. One time my moms friend was on it and severely damaged her foot and had to go to first aid cuz it was bleeding all over. Totally understand why that closed. When I was even younger (too young to swim) my mom would take me out into the wave pool and id always get terrified when the horn went off to start the waves. My mom said she would come home bruised everywhere from me kicking her and hanging onto her neck tightly. I used to go there all the time as a kid but havent in like 5 years now. Definitely wanna go back there soon and see what changed. Loving all this nostalgia on this channel even though im a little too young for some of it (21)
Hell I think I 2 birthday parties there even and my dad would rent the cabanas near nessies revenge. Man just so many memories brought up by this video
The waves were a lot more intense then, yah.. then they tamed them down as this channel details in some other video ;P I was a skinny kid and got clobbered/landed on top of quite a few times by much bigger/plumper people getting tossed by the waves... thankfully I was a great swimmer :D
The og version was my absolute fave at the waterpark. Great opportunity for an overstimulated and not very brave kid to spend some quiet time away from the crowds and the bigger, brasher attractions. I understand how difficult it would be to maintain, but its a shame these kind of retreats tend to get cut out so easily, because they dont leave a lot of places for those of us in need of a bit of peace to go.
Yaas, it was pretty chill :) .... I miss it too. It may have gotten gnarly in the end, but the OG version was really beautiful (as all the mall used to be) and chill. Soo many more plants along the ride too -- it was tropical in there and the entire waterpark! (and rumor had it, had a bit of a cockroach problem, as they hitched a ride on all the palmtrees). Probably what I miss most about WEM.. The tropical plants and planters everywhere.. Old Fantasyland storefronts (like the bizarre Hardware Store), ..the ballmachines and peacocks, and the plants throughout the mall and the original waterpark. Not to mention the tanning beds, etc. lol. Never used them, but was cool they were actually there /an option :D Actual wood in the mall.. They don't make things like they used to.
I love these videos...brings me back!!! Not going to lie though, the lazy river wasn’t my fave. I remember scraping myself on the walls or something lol. It was all about the Blue Bullet (less stairs but lots of fun), Nessie’s Revenge, and the Howler (although I think that one was one of the highest so too many damn stairs!). Does anyone else remember going to the candy store that was upstairs next to the water park after a day at park??
Yes I remember that candy shop!! I always wanted to go there but my parents wouldn’t let me. Also, when you came out of the waterpark, I remember there was a really weird spa thing, it looked like a coffin but it looked kinda fun.
Thanks for this video, I used to spend whole days on this slide in the 90's when my friends and I had attraction passes. I'm going to enjoy showing my kids the waterpark that once was.
11:52 . . . Matt with the hat!! :) Brilliant video for the history of this slide. I remember being on this in the original form, and you got *soaked* by the waterfalls!!
Jenna Mallory I know right 💯% agreed! Its arguably one of the best attractions the mall has ever had! At least we both were lucky enough to experience it growing up :)
I remember that the original ride tubes were thick rubber and I always had difficulty carrying them up the first set of stairs, and used to get annoyed when the attendants in the vortex would push me to the drop lol
Oh man, I pretty much lived on this thing whenever I was lucky enough to have my parents buy me an attractions pass. This and the old blue bullet were my fav. I was so sad when they changed and ruined it both of them, Lol! Great video! Lots of memories.
I believe I rode the original. I was so young I can’t fully remember but yes it was amazing. So sad it’s gone. Great video. Thanks for all your hard work.
This was my favorite ride in the entire mall! It gutted me when they started culling sections from it. I loved it as a kid, and when I started getting older, it was an amazing place to flirt and meet girls! Removing this ride changed the entire vibe of the park. I used to work in the Bungee Jump Tower, and looking down to see where the rapids used to be always made me sad. Still does. Thanks for the video. Loved it so much.
I never get to go that often despite only being in Calgary, but when I was a kid the rapids were my FAVOURITE! We rode it every time we got the opportunity to visit Edmonton. I didn't even know it closed down! What a shame!
When I was able to go on the raging rapids, you still started from the beginning, but at the end you went into a dark tube tunnel with colourful lights, but we could still only go on one vortex, I miss that slide a lot, and here’s my funny story about it. So me, my mom, my sister, and my moms friend all went to the world water park, and so I loved the raging rapids, so I went on it, and got stuck right near the end, my moms friend was so nervous, and then this guy ran into my tube and so I got unstuck. I cried during that I was like 8
any plans to cover professor wems and dragon tale mini golf as well as some past exhibits we had at the mall such as the dinosaur alive one back in 2008
Oh the memories! Used to go as end of year parties in junior high school... it had only been open a year or so the first time I went. Circa 1987! We used to stay at the bottom of that vortex waiting to get bumped by the next tube lol, wow the attendants busted us so many times lol!
I remember riding it in it's original form when I was in high school, and one time one of the attendants told me about how when the wave pool was new, they applied full power to the waves and flooded the change rooms. I miss that slide, it's odd seeing its remnants while I was wondering if they'd restart it again. The yellow slide isn't nearly as enjoyable. At the time, I remember exiting through the gift shop, and taped flat to the counter beside the till was an interesting fact/spec sheet about the pool, stating how many gallons etc, and I noticed it said maximum wave height as 7 feet! I'd like to see that but that's probably why the water ran over into the change rooms lol. What happened to the slides with the plastic sleds? That was hella fun and scary going down that steep lol. But I guess the surf machine is in it's place now. I think the waves were 3 or 5 ft, and they are the same now, but I notice they usually run only like 3 of the six wave makers at a time now, which is disappointing because the waves covered a wider area of the pool before and therefore people weren't fighting for the little sweet spot. But sometimes they make wide waves and it's awesome. I like how they still blow the same horn and the crowd cheers at the start of a new session, and I like how the sessions are randomly changed between each one, you have different style of wave sets. Never need to change those things 👌. It certainly beats the small "always on diamond" type in generic pools. I still find the place enjoyable, and for the price, make sure you go early and stay a good 3-5 hours, there's a lot to enjoy 😊
This was definitely a GREAT water slide! I worked there from the Grand Opening Date for many years and we all had a Love~Hate relationship with this one. As a slide attendant, you got completely wet at this station but also we had so much fun! Fun Fact … just watched your video here and saw myself from our photo shoot days … I’m the 15-year old girl modeling as I came out of the bottom of the slide pool on the ladder on the Triple Speed Slides from your shot of the postcard in this video! Thanks for making my day🥰 Those were some pretty AMAZING days!!!
My family was really cheap so I never made it to the World Waterpark more than a handful of times in my childhood. It was like visiting the Holy Grail. It was even rarer for Mom 'n' Dad to splurge for a tube rental or even a locker (meaning one parent had to stay on shore and watch our stuff the whole time). My main memory of the Raging Rapids was the time my sister scraped up her leg on the concrete bottom and sides. I was always nervous of riding after that.
Watching some of these videos you have created makes me want to cry i miss the old west Edmonton mall i just want it to go back to the way it was i hardly ever go their nowadays
Oh wow I didn't know they added fast tubes! The original was my favorite and it was fun grabbing onto your friend's hand and trying to fling each other down the little slopes :)
I guess it shows how long since I’ve been there that I had no idea this was gone. The part about people waiting to steal your tubes cause you don’t wanna pay the $5 to rent one totally hit home haha. I wonder how it costs to rent a tube now a days.
I love your channel it bring me back to some of my favourite memories of west Ed as a kid. Growing up in St. Albert trips to the mall were huge highlights! Thanks for reminding me!
I remember the original set up of the slide very well! The fun that it was is exactly as you described! The disappointment when they closed it was real. Thank you for producing this! It brought back some wonderful memories of my childhood with my brother!
Great video! Yes I lucky enough to ride the Raging Rapids as a kid and young teen in the late 90s and early 00s. Loved the ride but not the wait. This and the White Lightning always made this Wetaskiwin boy's day. (Reminisces about the 90s. wells up, starts crying) :_( The waterpark and WEM always has a special place in my heart.
I worked as a slide attendant at the Waterpark in 2015 and was the last person to go down the remaining side of raging rapids. We had a staff night and they turned the slide on one last time for us. We were only able to have it going for 15 minutes because of a leak in the back. I stayed at vortex helping everyone down and then went down after as my supervisors told us to hurry up. 4 of us got stuck in the blue tube section. It was quite fun and hilarious. I believe the offices were an after thought after raging rapids sat vacant for about a year. Then the manager/supervisor offices were moved into the new spot they created. Worked there for 2 years, first as a slide attendant and later as a lifeguard. Some of the funnest years of my life! :)
Honestly my favourite slide as a kid. I had back problems when I was young, so this was one of the only slides my mum would let me go on, because it was a lot more chill and didn’t jar you around as much as the others. I loved this one. I got to ride the original, but I don’t remember the second or third portions. I remember going down the final slide and always being scared of hitting my head on the wall haha
The second to last time i went i heard my dad mention being dissapointed at the closure of this slide, now i understand. I wish i couldve gotten a chance to ride it
Heck yeah Raging Rapids, definitely one of my favorite slides. I remember always trying to flip myself and friends at the turn. The remaining shell of the slide is a sad reminder of what once was
I grew up in a small town a couple hours south of Edmonton. We’d visit WEM every year or so. In my adult life, I’ve lived all around the world and been to a ton of water parks. World Waterpark is straight up the best water park I’ve ever been to. The wave pool is world class. The slides are absolutely exceptional. The atmosphere is electric. The water parks in the Wisconsin Dells and Orlando don’t hold a candle to it. The raging rapids was a really great lazy river ride, probably one of the best I’ve ever been on.
This was the best thing in the water park. When I was a teenager, people would clog up the slide and we’d all go down the slide at once. Pissed off the lifeguards so bad.
Ok this explains a lot to me, I always remembered there being a middle pool as a kid but I could never fully remember and I always just thought I was remembering it wrong
I'm that Jeremy guy! Lol Thanks Matthew! I'm so greatful to have had the opportunity to help you with this project! I will never forget how much fun I had working on Raging Rapids in its near full glory days of the early 2000's. Thanks again for such an amazing video, it brings back so many memories of my childhood and the countless hours spent working at one of the world's best water parks! =D
Side note/question: I remember calling the 'Turn' position 'Corner'. Was Turn the original name, before my time working there?
I had actually heard both (after we spoke) - and meant to mention there were two names... but somewhere along the way the word 'Turn' got stuck in my head. Thanks again for all your help on this video. If I ever see an Orbitz, it'll be yours. ;)
I remember drinking those Orbitz drinks in the late 1990s. They used to sell them at the Canex store at CFB North Bay. If I recall correct, there was a coconut flavored Orbitz that was real good. I didn't mind the suspended gel in the drink. I guess too many people hated it, and this nifty beverage disappeared.
Best Edmonton Mall deal!! I remember Orbitz that would be awesome, definitely let me know if you find any or maybe some more WWP Pepsi ;) And you are most welcome, Raging Rapids means a lot to me so I'm so happy I could meet you and help with this video :)
Fantastic watching this, you had such a great thing originally, what did they expect with cutting off half of it!
And thank you for being ‘That Jeremy Guy’ and providing your footage, you must all have had so much fun, and got so many distinct and distant memories of it. 👍🏻
@@englishruraldoggynerd thank you! I absolutely have some amazing memories! I worked on Raging Rapids back when I was in high school around 2001-2002. Back then it still had the famous waterfall at the bottom so I feel very privileged and honoured to have helped with this project. It was hands down my favorite attraction at the mall with the Drop of Doom a very close second. Something not mentioned in the video but a fun fact and perk of working tube ride was finding sliders loose change on the bottom, you'd be surprised just how much I found! 😂😂
I honestly thought I was losing my mind when I tried the new yellow slide and thought to myself "this used to be a lot wider with multiple paths".
I'm glad this video validated my sanity.
This was also in the Tom Scott newsletter! Three videos from one person - I don't remember him doing something like this in a while. And I get why he loved this so much - it's great content!
Here's his text:
And then the mall waterpark also had what looks like one of the best rapids rides ever made(hyperlink to this video)? And the channel's filming in the old, dry, decaying flumes, presumably with permission? This channel is called "Best Edmonton Mall", and it's been quite a while since I've been this impressed by a small channel. I recommend all three of those videos.
Love this line: "Everything existed as it was meant to." Perfectly describes this channel.
I was a supervisor in the early '90s and I know this ride caused many issues! The "Corner" was brutal for spinal injuries as tubers tended to flip backward hitting their heads on the wall. Once the water shut off button was hit it took a fair bit of time for the water to recede to get a spine board in there and removal was tough due to the slippery incline to bottom. We had to be really creative in how we did this.
Another issue was the unwanted touching that kept happening on the ride, which was a major reason we had so many guards on there. The ride stayed open later and was a dark area so hard to supervise fully. I had many complaints from parents and teen girls
Also, I know the rubberized foam padding needed to be replaced in sections due to people getting limbs caught in it. This removal was met by a paint replacement on the slide section. Not a good idea as skin and bone on concrete = massive abrasions and burns... on many days the ride line was dwarfed by the first aid station line we had set up for that ride itself! We ran out of bandaids and gauze at times. SOO many great memories working there, sad to see some of the old rides gone. I'm taking my kids there this Spring break ... should be a time warp!
Thanks for doing this! I would like to find the footage from the Much music show they did with Dan Gallagher in 93'ish ... also Archie comics did a comic with thieves that ended up in the water park... I remember the writers hanging out for the day...
I was in the boat of "why would they get rid of the best ride there" until your comment unlocked the memories of these persistent problems. I got scraped and bruised many times and witnessed a few of the serious injuries.
I totally forgot about the unfortunate knowledge which all teenage girls who went to the waterpark shared: do not get too close to strange male riders in the dark areas of the Rapids. My friends and I would make sure that we never left the middle area on our own.
Honestly this makes a lot of sense. I am certified as a lifeguard and getting a spine board on a regular slide is such a pain I can’t imagine how bad it would be on the tube slide. Also my mom works closely with EPS and she says they still get a lot of reports about people creeping on little kids and groping teens at the water park.
@@VonScience that’s fucking horrible. What kinda sick bastards would assault teenage girls at a water park? Jesus
Ah I knew I was remembering correct when I told friends the old ride was fun but a total liability! I remember having a lot of fun on this ride but also that it was dangerous so I was overly cautious on it. Accidents still happen though and that corner was a nightmare. I hadn't even thought about how bad getting a rescue/medical team in there would have been, wow. Amazing that someone had enough money to build this but didn't bother to account for real physics instead of some Loony Toons physics.
Thanks for the info and details! Totally makes sense. Sucks though cuz it was cool
I was a supervisor at the water park early 2000s. Staff either loved or hated working tube ride, not much middle ground. Ya there were a lot of injuries at corner, couple ambulance calls a week in the busy season.
I also remember all the humidity in the air, mixed with the chlorine would cause some of the staff to get a cough that was named “tube ride cough”.
Not sure what it is but it seems sometimes they put in wayyy too much chlorine into the wavepool to the point where you cough so bad your throat and chest burn. Happened to me a couple times, One day it was so bad everybody in the pool was coughing and when my family and I were changing a lifeguard or slide attendant im not sure, came running in she was coughing so bad she couldnt breathe and passed out we had to go get medical attention and they had to call her an ambulance. Usually its not too bad, but sometimes we go and its very bad.
Oh the chlorine and the "tube ride cough" the way my buddy who was a lifeguard "back in thr day" pointed out, the water starts at the tube ride, goes to the slides, then the wave pool and then back for treatment. And that was why working the top of the tuberide gave you a cough
@@SARA-kh1kp yeah one time like 4 years ago when I was there with a bunch of friends my eyes were burning so bad from what I assume was the wavepool. It got so bad that when we were sitting in the hot tub by sun runner I couldn't even see anything beyond the edge of the pool clearly because my vision was so blurry. Ended up dumping water from the Coke machines into my eyes and that helped a bit, but it only got better after I left.
I was born in 88 so all these videos are very nostalgic from my youth watching these videos bring back memories i had forgotten
The Raging Rapids was my all time favourite slide/fun thing to do at the mall!
I remember at the bottom of the original ride, there was a big waterfall you had to go through before reaching the exit. The ride attendants could not clearly see you through the falling water so you could sneak back up to the last drop and take it again. Eventually, they would catch on and chase you out, lol! One of my best memories of the Raging Rapids!
Wow rest. In. Peace. What a blast from the past thank you
The summer pass was an amazing deal even for its time. $50 for unlimited visits to either park and a July & August bus pass. I had one from ages 13 when it first started to 15. At 13 and 14 I was at the waterpark at least twice per week and I made the trek all the way from Hermitage in NE Edmonton via #73, LRT, and #100 bus (or was it 101?)
I would always lounge around in mid. Only to be pulled into the final section by an attendant. It was by far my favourite ride.
Woah only 50 bucks!! Now it costs just that for a few hours 😮
I only got to use the 3rd version of the slide, I would give anything to go on the original or even the second variation
The second variation was really cool, they wired lights into the tunnels at the straight away section it was super trippy and fun it was my favourite slide in the park I'm heartbroken to hear it's gone 😢
The original was disgusting in it's later years. Very gross and you'd get stuck a lot.
I have not tried it at all but the og one looks really fun
I got to ride the 2nd and 3rd version but definitely enjoyed the 2nd best
The WWP has plenty of awesome slides, but my favorite was always the Raging Rapids.
hi best edmonton mall your videos are great please keep up the good work
Best Edmonton Mall Fully agreed. I was only kid when I use to ride on it (late 90s to early 00s), and it’s still the slide of which I have the fondest memories. The moment of anticipation before heading down the through the tunnel was fantastically nerve-wrecking.
I also miss the original blue bullet... glad it got a mention as well.
Best Edmonton Mall agreed!
i remember always blocking the second tunnel with multiple people 😂
That shit was so much fun 😆
I love this channel! I love Edmonton Mall and I love this video! Keep it up!
I remember this ride from when I was younger. Very fun, miss it though!
Me too, it should have never closed, it was so much fun,,
This was my favorite slide 🥺 i was heart broken when it was removed
Me too, I liked it because it was a combination of both relaxation and excitement,,,
I was lucky enough to ride this ride . Was one of my favorites for sure ... On another note can you consider making a video about the hidden places within West Edmonton mall ? There had been a rumor that there was a future lrt station built under the mall at the time of construction of the mall back in the 80's or even a bunker of some kind . I had heard even classrooms were built under the mall as well .
Yes there are classrooms! I went in my preschool feildtrip, cant remember exactly where it was but you cant acsess it without a pass and your school info with your principal at Ricks
OMG THOSE CLASSROOMS WERE USED DURING FIELD TRIPS IM NOT CRAZY
One time at the elevator by the movie theatre by hmv it went to the basement by mistake I only went a few feet out and looked around but it was super creepy. It was middle of summer and all around was the Christmas decorations and super long hallways. Ran back to the elevator because I was scared I might get stuck down there since I went down there by mistake.
same
Same sadly only once tho
I remember the original raging rapids as a kid and I definitely remember having to ready myself for the last drop and tight turn to avoid getting flipped haha. It was definitely my favorite slide in the entire park. I also remember the shock of riding it after the changes, going through the lighted tunnel and thinking "woa this is different" thanks for a walk down memory lane 😊
Hey I remember this (OG version, we left Edmonton in 1989)! The waterpark was my favourite attraction in the entire mall and we used to beg and beg and beg my mom to take us. And in the waterpark, the raging rapids was by far my favourite ride, too. I remember hanging around that middle section for ages. Kids were pretty unsupervised back then so I would be with my little friends from school and we'd just hang out going down it over and over for hours. I can still recall how pleasant the water temp was - not too warm, not too cool. Perfect, especially in an Edmonton winter... Curious if anyone else commenting remembers a store called Mariposa? As a little girl that was the store I always wanted to buy all my clothes from, because it was where all the cool older girls got theirs. Anyway, great vid, great nostalgia trip, thank you. :)
Lucysmom26 I remember those days. Mariposa was my sister’s fav store too. All the kids her age (born 1976) would beg to go there.
Chiming in that I too remember Mariposa. Just as I was old enough to wear clothes from there, they closed up shop, haha, but my mother loved it.
I remember mariposa
Hello to all my fellow Edmontonians who grew up with this mall, we all had a great time together and here we are again
Hey There @Best Edmonton Mall I was rewatching this video of yours and you missed a small part of Raging Rapids History. The second right path between the middle and the jam between the time when the entire right bath was working and when the right path was cut shorter. Right when Sun Runner came in, a bit of the sun runners path caught into the second Right bath between the middle and the jam removing a bit of the wall of the path of the slide causing the path to be closed. And for a short time, there was no second right path. It was still there but they blocked it off both ends for no water to run through. (In the photos of the jam getting removed and other photos you can see the entrance and exit of the second right path blocked off) It was like that for a VERY VERY short time before the got rid of the jam entirely.
I remember this slide mostly due to the fact I lost my glasses on one of the steep slide.
Why were you wearing glasses in the water park!! I can barely see without myne but even I don’t wear em
Loved that tube ride. Sad it is gone
Agreed, it was one of my favourite rides at the waterpark, So much fun
Great video. Growing up I had the attractions pass. Spent many summers cruising down the river.
Thanks for the nostalgia :)
It is hard to see this slide go. I haven’t been to west ed water park for about 3 years. This is the first time I was told it closed. I remember a phase about 5 years ago (2014) when it was only one path without the blue tube. I didn’t even know there was a blue tube until I watched this video. God... I cannot believe its gone. I was planning on going to the water park again soon, and go on that ride first. It was my favourite. Well, at least we all have our memories. I’ll miss it dearly.
I remember that slide! Definitely my favourite when I was a kid. So sad when they started changing it and then when it finally closed 😢
I rode this ride in I think 2003-ish and I loved it!! I still think back on it every now and then as my favourite waterpark attraction. so sad to hear it's no more, I'd always hoped to go back and ride it again as an adult. lazy rivers are the best!
It was pretty much my favourite ride there. When I was a lot younger, it was somewhat harder to navigate, but once I got somewhat taller it was a joy to be able to relax, yet still move through it.
I was a kid when riding this ride and one of lucky few to experience the original rapids the way it was meant to be ridden. It really saddens me that Water park has changed its true magic and palm tree getaway feels it once had how tropical it all felt. That's something we can all hold onto.
Haven't gone to the waterpark much over the years, but I do remember Raging Rapids back in the day as a teen. That ride was sooo relaxing!
Greetings from Japan again. These videos definitely help a lot with the homesickness that comes with living abroad. I didn't arrive in the Edmonton area until 1999, so I think I missed the heyday of this slide.
Awesome video!!! I was one of the unlucky ones to get injured on that slide back in 1992. I flipped over at the bottom of the turn & hit the back of my neck on the small exposed part of concrete at the bottom the slope where it met the flat part. I remember them putting me into a stretcher on the slide & taking an ambulance ride all the way to Mill Woods despite there being hospitals much closer. They were concerned it was a serious spinal injury but it ended up being not bad & I had full mobility within a few days.
A couple years later, I went on the slide again & fell the exact same way & hit my head on pretty much the same spot, but wasn’t hurt lol. In spite of all that, I loved that slide too!!!
That was a favorite of mine when i was a kid. I miss it 😢 wish i could share that experience with my children. ❤
Oh dude! Thank you!! I requested this!
Was just there yesterday, and I STILL miss the OG. I was crazy young, but glad I got to experience it.
Aww that was the best part of the waterpark! I still remember riding that as a kid!
I remember when I was a kid the lazy rivers jam definitely wasnt there and I dont think the middle part was either but I remember there being 2 different paths. I also remember the tube lineup and running as fast as we could to the slide entrance. Also werent their lights in one of the lazy river tunnels? I also remember being on the white lightning. One time my moms friend was on it and severely damaged her foot and had to go to first aid cuz it was bleeding all over. Totally understand why that closed. When I was even younger (too young to swim) my mom would take me out into the wave pool and id always get terrified when the horn went off to start the waves. My mom said she would come home bruised everywhere from me kicking her and hanging onto her neck tightly. I used to go there all the time as a kid but havent in like 5 years now. Definitely wanna go back there soon and see what changed. Loving all this nostalgia on this channel even though im a little too young for some of it (21)
Hell I think I 2 birthday parties there even and my dad would rent the cabanas near nessies revenge. Man just so many memories brought up by this video
The waves were a lot more intense then, yah.. then they tamed them down as this channel details in some other video ;P I was a skinny kid and got clobbered/landed on top of quite a few times by much bigger/plumper people getting tossed by the waves... thankfully I was a great swimmer :D
This was my very favorite slide for years! I was so sad when they made changes then ultimately closed it.
That is for making this video I ask myself the same question everytime I'm there
The og version was my absolute fave at the waterpark. Great opportunity for an overstimulated and not very brave kid to spend some quiet time away from the crowds and the bigger, brasher attractions. I understand how difficult it would be to maintain, but its a shame these kind of retreats tend to get cut out so easily, because they dont leave a lot of places for those of us in need of a bit of peace to go.
Yaas, it was pretty chill :) .... I miss it too. It may have gotten gnarly in the end, but the OG version was really beautiful (as all the mall used to be) and chill. Soo many more plants along the ride too -- it was tropical in there and the entire waterpark! (and rumor had it, had a bit of a cockroach problem, as they hitched a ride on all the palmtrees). Probably what I miss most about WEM.. The tropical plants and planters everywhere.. Old Fantasyland storefronts (like the bizarre Hardware Store), ..the ballmachines and peacocks, and the plants throughout the mall and the original waterpark. Not to mention the tanning beds, etc. lol. Never used them, but was cool they were actually there /an option :D Actual wood in the mall.. They don't make things like they used to.
I love these videos...brings me back!!! Not going to lie though, the lazy river wasn’t my fave. I remember scraping myself on the walls or something lol. It was all about the Blue Bullet (less stairs but lots of fun), Nessie’s Revenge, and the Howler (although I think that one was one of the highest so too many damn stairs!).
Does anyone else remember going to the candy store that was upstairs next to the water park after a day at park??
Yes I remember that candy shop!! I always wanted to go there but my parents wouldn’t let me. Also, when you came out of the waterpark, I remember there was a really weird spa thing, it looked like a coffin but it looked kinda fun.
@@anthonyr4705 Thank you for bring back that treasured memory. I remember always being fascinated by those water spas.
my dad would be a bully and flip mine and my siblings’s tubes all the time. He loved it.
Hahaha, same. It was always a challenge to try and flip friends & family.
Thanks for this video, I used to spend whole days on this slide in the 90's when my friends and I had attraction passes. I'm going to enjoy showing my kids the waterpark that once was.
11:52 . . . Matt with the hat!! :)
Brilliant video for the history of this slide.
I remember being on this in the original form, and you got *soaked* by the waterfalls!!
I last rode this in 1992-93 which must’ve been the original design? Don’t remember too much of it except that I loved it.
I rode the 2nd revision and I loved it. Can't even imagine it better than it was... Thanks for this video!
Once again this channel takes me back to some of my fondest childhood memories. Thank you so much for this, dude. Raging Rapids 4ever
This was my favourite slide. Also had the Attractions Pass. My brother and I always tried to flip each other
Thanks for the video! I remember riding the OG version as a kid around 1990 ish. It was my favourite ride! ❤
Great video bem
This was my favourite slide as a kid. I always wondered why they got rid of it!
Jenna Mallory I know right 💯% agreed! Its arguably one of the best attractions the mall has ever had! At least we both were lucky enough to experience it growing up :)
I went to West Ed a few weeks ago with my girlfriend and her friends. Was wondering what that abandoned waterslide was. Thank you!
I used to love that ride! Thank-you for making this!!!
I remember that the original ride tubes were thick rubber and I always had difficulty carrying them up the first set of stairs, and used to get annoyed when the attendants in the vortex would push me to the drop lol
Oh man, I pretty much lived on this thing whenever I was lucky enough to have my parents buy me an attractions pass. This and the old blue bullet were my fav. I was so sad when they changed and ruined it both of them, Lol! Great video! Lots of memories.
This was my favourite slide and I was devastated when it was removed
I believe I rode the original. I was so young I can’t fully remember but yes it was amazing. So sad it’s gone. Great video. Thanks for all your hard work.
This was my favorite ride in the entire mall! It gutted me when they started culling sections from it. I loved it as a kid, and when I started getting older, it was an amazing place to flirt and meet girls! Removing this ride changed the entire vibe of the park.
I used to work in the Bungee Jump Tower, and looking down to see where the rapids used to be always made me sad. Still does. Thanks for the video. Loved it so much.
This was one of the best rides in the whole park
Although I've only visited the waterpark once, in the 90s, you make it feel like I've been there tons. Thanks dude. ✌️🍍
i do remember it in its former glory. by far it was the best slide in the park.
RIP rapids, you will be missed
Definitely,, it was a blast going their should have never changed it,
Every time I stand in line for the sort-of-fun Sun Runner, I look at the old bones of Raging Rapids and remember how awesome that ride was.
I love these videos. Really brings me back to my childhood, driving up from Calgary for a day or two at the mall.
I never get to go that often despite only being in Calgary, but when I was a kid the rapids were my FAVOURITE! We rode it every time we got the opportunity to visit Edmonton. I didn't even know it closed down! What a shame!
I was lucky enough in the early 2000's to ride the original. And it was one of my favorites to go as a group.
Definitely one if my favorite rides growing g up in early 2000s so awesome sad to see it's gone
When I was able to go on the raging rapids, you still started from the beginning, but at the end you went into a dark tube tunnel with colourful lights, but we could still only go on one vortex, I miss that slide a lot, and here’s my funny story about it.
So me, my mom, my sister, and my moms friend all went to the world water park, and so I loved the raging rapids, so I went on it, and got stuck right near the end, my moms friend was so nervous, and then this guy ran into my tube and so I got unstuck. I cried during that I was like 8
Yes we rode on Wild Rapids when it first opened ! So fun it was but as you said the cement wall flipped the tubes over ! But it was so much fun ! 🎄🎄🎄
any plans to cover professor wems and dragon tale mini golf as well as some past exhibits we had at the mall such as the dinosaur alive one back in 2008
Oh the memories! Used to go as end of year parties in junior high school... it had only been open a year or so the first time I went. Circa 1987! We used to stay at the bottom of that vortex waiting to get bumped by the next tube lol, wow the attendants busted us so many times lol!
I remember riding it in it's original form when I was in high school, and one time one of the attendants told me about how when the wave pool was new, they applied full power to the waves and flooded the change rooms. I miss that slide, it's odd seeing its remnants while I was wondering if they'd restart it again. The yellow slide isn't nearly as enjoyable.
At the time, I remember exiting through the gift shop, and taped flat to the counter beside the till was an interesting fact/spec sheet about the pool, stating how many gallons etc, and I noticed it said maximum wave height as 7 feet! I'd like to see that but that's probably why the water ran over into the change rooms lol.
What happened to the slides with the plastic sleds? That was hella fun and scary going down that steep lol. But I guess the surf machine is in it's place now.
I think the waves were 3 or 5 ft, and they are the same now, but I notice they usually run only like 3 of the six wave makers at a time now, which is disappointing because the waves covered a wider area of the pool before and therefore people weren't fighting for the little sweet spot. But sometimes they make wide waves and it's awesome. I like how they still blow the same horn and the crowd cheers at the start of a new session, and I like how the sessions are randomly changed between each one, you have different style of wave sets. Never need to change those things 👌. It certainly beats the small "always on diamond" type in generic pools.
I still find the place enjoyable, and for the price, make sure you go early and stay a good 3-5 hours, there's a lot to enjoy 😊
Love this channel. So much nostalgia. Thank you.
This was definitely a GREAT water slide! I worked there from the Grand Opening Date for many years and we all had a Love~Hate relationship with this one. As a slide attendant, you got completely wet at this station but also we had so much fun! Fun Fact … just watched your video here and saw myself from our photo shoot days … I’m the 15-year old girl modeling as I came out of the bottom of the slide pool on the ladder on the Triple Speed Slides from your shot of the postcard in this video! Thanks for making my day🥰 Those were some pretty AMAZING days!!!
The original versions of raging rapids and blue bullet were always my two favourite slides at the waterpark when I was a kid.
My family was really cheap so I never made it to the World Waterpark more than a handful of times in my childhood. It was like visiting the Holy Grail. It was even rarer for Mom 'n' Dad to splurge for a tube rental or even a locker (meaning one parent had to stay on shore and watch our stuff the whole time). My main memory of the Raging Rapids was the time my sister scraped up her leg on the concrete bottom and sides. I was always nervous of riding after that.
I remember this slide, it was one if my favorites
I remember the ragging rapids! The water park was one of my 1st dates with my Husband! The raging rapids were our favorite!
Watching some of these videos you have created makes me want to cry i miss the old west Edmonton mall i just want it to go back to the way it was i hardly ever go their nowadays
Same here I agree
Oh wow I didn't know they added fast tubes! The original was my favorite and it was fun grabbing onto your friend's hand and trying to fling each other down the little slopes :)
I guess it shows how long since I’ve been there that I had no idea this was gone. The part about people waiting to steal your tubes cause you don’t wanna pay the $5 to rent one totally hit home haha. I wonder how it costs to rent a tube now a days.
It costs Nada
You don’t rent tubes anymore lol you just wait for tubes
.. At one point they were a Buck for the Blue and yellow (rental) ones.. And I think that was too much for my mom/family... lol
Envious..
Great channel👍, I love the mall. Can't wait to visit it again in December😎
wow neat, I had no idea thats what happened to this slide
I love your channel it bring me back to some of my favourite memories of west Ed as a kid. Growing up in St. Albert trips to the mall were huge highlights! Thanks for reminding me!
I remember the original set up of the slide very well! The fun that it was is exactly as you described! The disappointment when they closed it was real.
Thank you for producing this! It brought back some wonderful memories of my childhood with my brother!
Great video! Yes I lucky enough to ride the Raging Rapids as a kid and young teen in the late 90s and early 00s. Loved the ride but not the wait. This and the White Lightning always made this Wetaskiwin boy's day. (Reminisces about the 90s. wells up, starts crying) :_( The waterpark and WEM always has a special place in my heart.
I worked as a slide attendant at the Waterpark in 2015 and was the last person to go down the remaining side of raging rapids. We had a staff night and they turned the slide on one last time for us. We were only able to have it going for 15 minutes because of a leak in the back. I stayed at vortex helping everyone down and then went down after as my supervisors told us to hurry up. 4 of us got stuck in the blue tube section. It was quite fun and hilarious.
I believe the offices were an after thought after raging rapids sat vacant for about a year. Then the manager/supervisor offices were moved into the new spot they created.
Worked there for 2 years, first as a slide attendant and later as a lifeguard. Some of the funnest years of my life! :)
Honestly my favourite slide as a kid. I had back problems when I was young, so this was one of the only slides my mum would let me go on, because it was a lot more chill and didn’t jar you around as much as the others. I loved this one. I got to ride the original, but I don’t remember the second or third portions. I remember going down the final slide and always being scared of hitting my head on the wall haha
The second to last time i went i heard my dad mention being dissapointed at the closure of this slide, now i understand. I wish i couldve gotten a chance to ride it
Please do a look back at the white lightning and it's dangers
White Lightning / Thunderbolt ruled! The danger was what made it fun.
Thank you for doing this! I have seen this ride as it is today and wondered what it once was
You're welcome!
Great video. Thanks for posting this. Have a nice day.
Heck yeah Raging Rapids, definitely one of my favorite slides. I remember always trying to flip myself and friends at the turn. The remaining shell of the slide is a sad reminder of what once was
I loved riding the tubes when I was younger. Flipped many times at the turn and took some lumps, but fortunately never injured too bad.
The only reason why I loved the waterpark. They gotta find some way to bring this back
I rode every version of raging Rapids. Og was my favorite and my fave slide of all time
I grew up in a small town a couple hours south of Edmonton. We’d visit WEM every year or so. In my adult life, I’ve lived all around the world and been to a ton of water parks. World Waterpark is straight up the best water park I’ve ever been to. The wave pool is world class. The slides are absolutely exceptional. The atmosphere is electric. The water parks in the Wisconsin Dells and Orlando don’t hold a candle to it. The raging rapids was a really great lazy river ride, probably one of the best I’ve ever been on.
This was the best thing in the water park. When I was a teenager, people would clog up the slide and we’d all go down the slide at once. Pissed off the lifeguards so bad.
Ok this explains a lot to me, I always remembered there being a middle pool as a kid but I could never fully remember and I always just thought I was remembering it wrong
Hadnt thought about this in a while, hauling those rafts up was totally worth it.