Biblical theme park slated for Moose Jaw

$1.2M project gets OK, to have replica of ark

A Chinese merchant has proposed to build a Biblical theme park south of Moose Jaw, complete with a toscale replica of Noah’s Ark.

“This is going to be one of the biggest tourist attractions in Canada,” said Marc L’Hoir, Sunset Cemetery’s manager. His cemetery land is near the proposed park’s location west of Ninth Avenue Southwest and south of Highway 363.

Last week, the RM of Moose Jaw approved an application to build the cultural theme park.

The idea was proposed by Sun Wenqing.

The theme park will be based on the Old Testament, and is set to have four phases. The first phase will feature a replica of the Tabernacle used to carry around the Ark of the Covenant.

The ark itself will be featured, along with a golden lamp stand and a bronze basin. The dimensions for these features are set to be 49 metres long, 26 metres wide, and four metres tall.

The second phase will feature more Old Testament items. According to blueprints shown to the Moose Jaw Times-Herald. Some of the items include waterways meant to emulate the River Jordan and Sea of Galilee.

The third phase will feature a replica of Noah’s Ark and the rainbow. According to measurements it will be almost as big as a CFL football field.

The fourth phase will install displays on three floors within the ark. The first floor will feature a children’s interactive playground, the second floor will feature of display of animals on the ark and the third floor will feature technology to allow people to walk through Jesus’s life.

The park would be non-profit and free to enter, according to L’Hoir. The project cost is estimated to be $1.2 million.

L’Hoir said that workers would be brought from China to build the park.

“You imagine how many people go to the Vatican, the Wailing Wall in Israel,” said L’Hoir. “You build something like this … this is going to be one of the biggest tourist attractions in Canada. This is sort of his legacy that he wants to, I guess, further Christianity in the world.”

Online Christian media have shown pictures of a similar park Wenqing apparently built in China.

According to L’Hoir, the land available in Saskatchewan would allow him to more accurately build to scale as set out in the Bible, should building actually commence.

According to L’Hoir, there are potential issues about parking, the Chinese workers’ visas, and other things that need to be addressed. The park still does not have a formal name, as well, L’Hoir said.

Sunset Cemetery could benefit from the park.

“The theme park will increase the awareness about Sunset Cemetery and possibly make it a destination where hundreds of religious followers would come to be buried,” stated information about the project provided to the Moose Jaw Times-Herald from Sunset Cemetery.

“The footprint of the cultural theme park will create a unique setting which will only increase our local interest to the cemetery. This will allow for more different interment options than before that are included into the design of the cultural theme park.”

You build something like this … this is going to be one of the biggest tourist attractions in Canada.