Any outdoor enthusiasts searching for new, breathtaking views of southern Vancouver Island are in luck as the Malahat SkyWalk officially opened to the public on Thursday.
Described as the “ultimate natural high,” the public can now visit this 10-storey spiral tower that rises 250 metres above sea level along the Finlayson Arm.
“Today’s opening day, we made it,” said Ken Bailey, general manager of the project. “We started the project on Jan. 3, 2020, and 19 months later, here we are…I’m really excited. I’m pumped.”
The Skywalk provides 360-degree views of the surrounding area, including Mt. Baker, the Saanich Peninsula, the Southern Gulf Islands, the Coastal Mountains and the United States.
The spiral tower, along with a 600-metre elevated walkway through the surrounding forest, opened its doors for the first time at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 15.
“We were really excited to see the first guest come through,” Bailey said. “The enthusiasm and excitement was really infectious.”
The first person to go through the gate was Paul Gill, who purchased an annual pass and has been looking forward to opening day since the moment he saw it under construction.
“I said to myself probably a year ago that I’m going to be the first person up there,” he said.
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Gill woke up at 4 a.m. to prepare for the day and made that wish come true. He says it was a breathtaking experience.
“You can’t believe it until you see it,” Gill explained. “It’s very underrated with all the pictures and things we see, it’s underrated until you get out here and see it.”
Along with the views at the top of the tower, guests can enjoy an adventure net that acts as a trampoline. From there, guests have the option to walk down or travel back to ground level on a spiral slide.
Located 35 minutes north of Victoria, the Malahat SkyWalk will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., seven days a week, 365 days a year.
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British Columbians hoping to visit the attraction can purchase tickets on-site or online in advance. Tickets will be valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Entry to the Malahat SkyWalk will cost $31.95 for adults, $28.95 for seniors 65 and up, $18.95 for children between the ages of 6-17, and $86.00 for a Family Pass (two adults, two children). Adding on a child to a family day ticket will cost $18.00.
Annual passes are available for $87.00 per adult, $79.00 for seniors and $52.00 for children.
The project took 19 months to build and cost about $18 million.
More information about the new attraction can be found at https://malahatskywalk.com/
Graham Cox
Jasmine Bala
