Calaway Park

 

January Employer Spotlight

Calaway Park

The Youth Employment Centre (YEC) asked Calaway Park to answer a few questions about their company. 

Calaway Park is Western Canada’s Largest Outdoor Family Amusement Park. The park opened its doors in 1982 and has grown from a small amusement park to one of Calgary and Western Canada’s best attractions!

The park spans 160 acres (operating on 90 acres) and has a collection of 34 rides! Featuring numerous attractions, rides for the thrill- seekers and top-notch live entertainment. We hire over 600 fun and enthusiastic team members each season to provide a worry-free, fun adventure to “kids of all ages”!  Calaway Park is fun for the whole family! 

How long have you been in business? 

Calaway Park turns 41 in 2022!

How many locations do you have in Calgary and nationally/internationally? What locations are hiring locally in Calgary and area?

We have one location.  Located 10 km west of Calgary on highway 1.

How many people does your organization employ? How many locally?

37 full-time, year round team members and Over 600 seasonal team members!

What type of positions do you offer?  (ex. Full time, part time, seasonal, contract etc.) 

Mostly seasonal, full and part-time positions.  Occasionally we do have openings in our maintenance and administration departments that would offer full-time or contract positions.

What are the benefits of working for your company? Staff discounts, incentive programs, scholarships etc. 

• Scholarship Program - every season, up to 25 Team Members can earn a scholarship of $500 each
• Work Experience – Earn High School credits while you work!
• Daily coaching and evaluation - we want team members to excel at their job! They will receive coaching from their Captains, Leads, Supervisors and Managers. To provide them with specific feedback on how they are doing, their performance will be audited on a regular basis through our OEO (Operational Excellence Observation) program. A leadership team member will observe them while they work, and then will provide them with feedback on what they observed. They will receive numerous OEOs during their time with us so that they may grow and excel in their role
• Team member events and BBQ’s, 
• Calaway Park Team Members receive a 40% discount on merchandise at Hudstones and a 10% discount at Sweet Toothe and all on-park restaurant and concession locations.
• Free Park Admission
• Complimentary Day Passes for family & friends
• Free shuttle bus transportation for Team Members on all operating days and select training days. The bus picks up and drops off at designated locations in Calgary. Bus schedules are posted on the Team Member website.
• Recognition Programs –Team Members are very important to us and we want to make sure that they know it! Team Members that are working hard to meet the expectations will be recognized by their Department Leaders. This may be verbal recognition, presentation of a ‘prize’ or award, or even a Performance Raise. Most departments utilize bulletin boards located in the Team Lounge to recognize Team Members.

Describe opportunities for advancement.

There is an opportunity for seasonal team members to move into key positions such as Security, Guest Services, Campground and Department leadership positions. Some team members have moved into year-round positions in Accounting, Human Resources, Maintenance and Management roles.

List any corporate responsibility initiatives that your organization is currently involved in. 

Calaway Park is committed to being a good corporate citizen and adding value to the community in which we live and work. Our efforts in the community focus on areas of children, families, education and basic needs. Through financial contributions and donations of in-kind resources, and the time and talent of our Team Members, we’re able to make a significant difference in the lives of others. Our community efforts have included, but are not limited to:

• Supporting the three Springbank Schools in various initiatives, including sponsoring 5 academic awards for High School students; supporting the Elementary School Sports Day; judging the Grade 4 “Rollercoasterology” Science Projects annually; and taking our mascots, Jack Bunny and Jill O’Hare, to visit the Elementary School at Easter every year
• Support of the Grade 5 Weather Unit
• Physics Day Program: In partnership with the University of Calgary’s Phil Langill, Calgary Board of Education and Calgary Catholic Board of Education, where students and teachers from Grades 6-12 can come and enjoy the park and work through a comprehensive workbook to learn the science of fun, Rollercoasterology with physics.
• Partnering with the National Service Dog organization to host the annual National Service Dog “Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs” at the Park
• Hosting a “Light Up A Child’s Life” event annually for special needs children and their families
• Annual food product donations to Calgary Community Kitchen at the end of every season
• Being a host park for IAAPA’s “Give Kids the World” foundation 
• Donating day tickets to local charities and fundraising initiatives each year
• Making an annual donation to Easter Seals of Alberta (Camp Horizon)
• Team Members using their time and talents to support Camp Horizon initiatives, such as building their camp fire seating and stage, and a wheelchair accessible lookout tower
• Hosting the Alberta Motor Association (AMA) School Patrol Kickoff Party in September each year
• Supporting individual causes as they arise (e.g., Fort McMurray fires, Calgary floods) 
• Choosing a different charity to support every Christmas. Some of the charities we have supported include The Mustard Seed, Calgary Food Bank, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Operation Christmas Child, The Veteran’s Food Bank of Calgary, Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, and Seniors Secret Service Society of Alberta
• Being a work experience partner with Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Catholic School District, and Rockyview School Division
• Awarding up to 25 post-secondary scholarships every year to seasonal Team Members.
• Active member in the Springbank Community Collaborative and Springbank Community Association - Support and host the annual Springbank Movie Night at Calaway Park
• Hosting the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation “Kids Helping Kids” event in September every year

How would someone find out about opportunities at your company? How can a candidate apply? 

We advertise through schools, Youth Employment Center and our website at www.calawaypark.com

Describe your hiring and interview process? 

Potential candidates, will apply on-line at Calawaypark.com.  In order to work at Calaway Park, Candidates must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with proof of 2 vaccine doses. Successful candidates will then proceed to the interview process either in-person at Calaway Park or via Google Duo. If successful in the interview, the candidate will be offered a position in one of our many different departments. Once the position is accepted, the new team member will be set up with training dates and given paper work to fill out.  

What do you look for in an employee?

First and foremost, we look for a positive attitude! Prospective team members are hardworking, reliable and have a willingness to learn.  They love to interact with people and want to provide the best possible experience for our guests!

What type of education/training/equipment do you require? 

Prior experience for our key positions is an asset however we will provide training for all our positions.

What is the minimum age required to work for your company? Are there different age requirements for different positions? 

16 years of age for our seasonal front line positions.  

18+ for our key positions such as Security, Landscaping, Guest Services and Campground Representatives.

Provide a wage range for entry level positions.

$15.00-$17.50

What are the hours of the business and general shift times? Are there a minimum number of hours someone needs to work per week? Is there flexibility regarding school schedules? 

Calaway is open from 10 am to 7 pm. Shift times range depending on the department, however, most positions are 7-8 hours in length.  Our schedule works well with student school schedules as training dates and scheduled shifts will be outside the school hours.

Is a uniform provided or do employees have to pay for it?

We provide a full uniform FREE of charge for team members. 

The uniform consists of a shirt (short sleeve or long sleeve), a pair of pants, a Calaway Park hoodie, a hat (bucket or ball cap) and a name tag. These items (one of each) will be provided to team members at no cost when they begin their first season of employment with us. 

In 2022, all Team Members are required to wear a mask at all times, and can wear their own family-friendly cloth masks if they have them. Team Members that do not have their own cloth masks will be provided with disposable masks.

For more information about Calaway Park please visit: www.calawaypark.com