Enchanted Forest up for sale

Photo: Contributed - http://www.enchantedforestbc.com/

Whether you're five-years-old or 60, if you've travelled through B.C. you may have spent some time at The Enchanted Forest.

The magical roadside attraction between Revelstoke and Sicamous has been a staple in the BC experience for children since it opened its doors in 1960, and now it is up for sale. 

The park's current owners, Rocky and Juliet Ehlers, have run the attraction for over 25-years and say it is now time to retire and pass on the reins.

“We are getting old,” says Rocky Elhers with a chuckle.

He says it was a hard decision to give up his beloved home but it was time for his wife and him to move on.

He tells Castanet it has been an honour serving Canadians for the last 25-years. He says it brings tears to his eyes thinking of the loyalty the public has shown his family for so long.

The 38.1-acre park featuring both the Enchanted Forest and the SkyTrek Adventure Park is going for $2.7M; an amount they say is priced below its appraised value.

While several have shown interest in the park, the Elhers are taking their time looking for the perfect buyer. Someone they hope will give the same attention and care to the park and its visitors that they have for so long.

He hopes the new owner, whomever that will be, will bring fresh ideas and concepts to build on the vision of creating a place that provides lasting memories and fantasy for the whole family.

Once the right buyer is found, the Elhers look forward to their first summer off in decades and hope to travel all the other gorgeous parts of B.C. and Canada they haven't had a chance to see.

The Elhers took over the property all those years ago from the Needhams who first acquired the property in the 1950s.

Mrs. Doris Needham was an artist in Revelstoke during the fifties and made unusual fairy tale figurines from cement.

Desiring to find the perfect setting for her handiwork, she searched for two years and finally chose the unique but isolated location between Revelstoke and Sicamous.

The endeavour turned into a retirement project, which Doris and her husband Ernest named their “Enchanted Forest”.

The Needhams were isolated for years developing the forest's 40-acres and on July 1, 1960, The Enchanted Forest officially opened to the public.

Taken over by the Elhers in 90s, the park now boasts over 85,000 visitors a year and is looking for a new permanent resident to carry on its enchanted and storybook legacy.

The Elhers's realtor Steve Daschuk says his phone has been ringing off the hook with interested buyers.

While no official offer has been made, a sale may not be too far off but they have to find the right person. 

"It is a very good business for the next person to take over and expand," says Daschuk. "There is a ton of potential." 

He says it is important for fans of the park to know the buyer will have to be committed to keeping the park open and continuing the tradition.  

For more information on the sale of the park check our their website here.