Bingemans, owner and operator of Bingemans Big Splash, the largest water park in southwestern Ontario, is excited to announce a major expansion in time for the summer season. Bingemans will be expanding their waterpark to include four new giant water slides.   “Our newest slides are the same as those drawing huge crowds at world-class international water parks. They are guaranteed to seriously increase the fun quotient at Big Splash,” says Bingemans General Manager Mark Bingeman.  Bingemans owns and operates a catering service, a conference centre and a camping resort, in addition to several entertainment facilities, including Big Splash waterpark, Funworx (the 25,000 sq. foot indoor playland), day camps for kids, beach volleyball facilities and Glen Ridge golf course.

The University of Waterloo Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The 50th anniversary launch event kicked off on Thursday January 11th 2007. With over 40 partners and sponsors from the Kitchener Waterloo Region, this celebration marked a proud moment in the history of our community. With an estimate of 4,000 attendees, the commemoration included hits from the fifties, a fashion show, a competition entitled “Reach for the Top” and performances by the WhiteWalls and the U of W cheerleaders. The university has taken leaps and bounds academically and structurally over the past 50 years; one can only imagine the presence it will have in its 75th year. 

McDonald Green Hosts Annual Open House

McDonald Green’s annual holiday open house took place on December 21st, 2006 at their head office in Cambridge.  The open house was an opportunity for the staff and clients to meet and mingle face to face.  As members of the Chamber for the past 8 years, McDonald Green realizes the benefits of networking.  They also believe that it is important to take the time to build on the relationships between their clients and the recruiters who assist them with their staffing needs.  “It’s also nice to just get together and celebrate the holiday season in the company of your colleagues” said President Helen Jowett.

2007 iGNITION $1K Pitch Competition Winners

On Friday January 12th, 2007, 45 participants competed to win one of three $1,000 cash prizes in the iGNITION $1K Pitch Competition. Participants included community members and students from Conestoga College, University of Guelph, University of Waterloo, and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Following are the winners of the 2007 iGNITION $1K Pitch Competition:

Jennifer Yorke, SimplyStyle.com
SimplyStyle.com is all about providing personalized style suggestions and connecting retailers with clientele. SimplyStyle.com is an online stylist that works much like a personal shopper. A consumer creates an account and inputs a front and rear digital picture of them as well as personal clothing preferences (such as colours and clothing textures). After this, the site recommends clothing options and connects the client to stores in their area that offer the recommended merchandise.

Greg Overholt, Hybrid Projections
Hybrid Projections is a company that creates innovative projection products to increase usability, efficiency and productivity in the business world. By combining leading edge technology and a great sense of the business environment, Hybrid Projections focuses on improving and innovating existing standards to enhance the ability to communicate ideas more efficiently and effectively.

Christine Robinson & Christie Penner Worden, The Nesting Place
The Nesting Place is Waterloo Region´s first full service community for new parents. Focused on parenting education, support and peace of mind. The Nesting Place offers facilitated connections with other parents, wellness services focused on pre and postnatal health and learning opportunities; all in a restful setting. So join us where the community coffee house meets the local playground. The Nesting Place...Because Parenting Doesn´t Come with a Manual.

The competition set the perfect stage for the LaunchPad $50K Venture Creation Competition which will take place in May. For further details about either competition please check out www.launchpad50k.ca.

For more news and updates on the greater KW business community, see the Advocate!