The Times Advocate, 2005-08-03, Page 17Crossroads
16
Wednesday, August 3, 2005
Exeter Times Advocate
Grand Bend Maize Place offers something new
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
GRAND BEND — Local
residents and tourists
from afar will have one
more attraction to check
out in Grand Bend — the
Grand Bend Maize Place.
Owned by Albert and
Judith Janssen, the Maize
Place includes an eight -
acre corn maze, a petting
zoo, a mini -maze, a rope
maze, a bounce house
and refreshments.
The Janssens, who emi-
grated to Canada from
the Netherlands over four
years ago, bought their
property south of Grand
Bend at the corner of Cold
Storage and Klondyke
roads a year and a half
ago to start preparations
for their new business.
After getting the neces-
sary permits and hiring a
company from England to
design their marine -
themed corn maze, they
planted their corn in the
first week of May and cut
out the maze in June.
The Janssens will have
a new maze design each
summer, but the theme
this year is "The Maze at
Sea," during which par-
ticipants travel through
trails amid the high corn-
stalks attempting, not
only to find their way out,
but to find clues for the
mystery of Captain Hardy.
There are four miles of
trail in the corn maze,
although Judith says cus-
tomers can usually find
their way out after walk-
ing about one and a half
miles. Some can complete
the maze in 20 minutes,
while it takes an hour for
others.
To ensure people aren't
lost in the maze for too
long, they are given a
map before they go in and
can choose to use it or
find their own way
through the maze.
Animals in the petting
zoo include alpacas,
piglets, sheep, goats,
geese, a miniature horse,
guinea pigs and bunnies.
The Grand Bend Maize
Place had its grand open-
ing July 27, with Judith
saying she's pleased with
the reaction from cus-
tomers. She said she and
her husband wanted to
offer a new attraction for
people in the Grand Bend
area.
"It's something different
than laying on the beach,"
she says, adding she has
printed 40,000 flyers, put
up posters and created a
Web site to promote her
new business.
Admission is $8 per per-
son and free for those
three and under.
The Grand Bend Maize
Place is open until the end
of October and will cele-
brate Halloween Oct. 30-
31 with a "Haunted
Maize."
The Janssen family opened the Grand Bend Maize Place last week south of Grand
Bend. Features include an eight -acre corn maze, a mini -maze and a petting zoo.
From left are Chris,Albert, Britt, Judith and Stan. Below, from left, Frank, Dennis
and Stefan Hoogerbrugge check out the mini -maze. (photos/Scott Nixon)
Those who visit the Grand Bend Maize Place can pet and feed the alpacas.While
related to the llama, owner Judith Janssen says alpacas are much friendlier. She
describes them as "very gentle" and non -allergenic. From left are Janssen, Michael
Boyle of Grand Bend and Brett Graham, visiting from Burlington. Below, owner
Albert Janssen feeds some piglets.