Guy Drouin, founder of Calypso Water Park in Limoges and Bora Park in Valcartier, Quebec, has died at the age of 68.
Bora Park, a huge indoor water park, was days away from opening when Drouin passed away, according to a statement on the company’s website. Drouin “was hoping to attend the opening of Bora Park which includes a four-star hotel and represents an investment of $70 million. Although his death prevents him from celebrating the grand opening of Bora Park on Saturday (December 3), he was able to oversee the preparations from his hospital room thanks to a camera feed his sons Mathieu, Simon and Jérôme installed.”
“His passing breaks our hearts but remembering his audacity and his legendary generosity will help us pave the way for the future. He was an exceptional man who dedicated his life to finding ways for Canadian families to enjoy themselves. He maintained a smile on his face right up to the end,” says a statement from Drouin’s sons. The statement also says Drouin prided himself on building his parks without the help of government funding. A post on Calypso’s Facebook page says Drouin died of cancer. He is survived by his sons as well as his wife, Parise Lafontaine.
On December 2, The Nation Municipality, where Calypso is located, released a statement offering condolences on behalf of the municipality. “This death saddens us deeply because Mr. Drouin was a model to the business and tourism community of our region,” says a statement attributed to Mayor François St-Amour. “Mr. Drouin, his family, and team are clearly builders that have shown confidence in our region, and translated their vision into a human and corporate success. Their accomplishments in The Nation have paved a path for future development in our communities and have quickly won the respect of those in the tourism industry.”
