From Opening Day to Retirement: Heather Hill’s 45-Year Journey

Heather’s story is, in many ways, the story of the park itself.

She started as a ride operator at the Zumba Flume, a university student stepping into what was then an entirely new kind of destination for the region. “We didn’t even really know what a theme park was,” she recalls. At the time, the park was still surrounded by farmland. “I remember walking through the park during training and seeing everything lit up, fully themed and just being in awe.”

Heather with her dad on the Wonder Mountain walkways in 1981, and at right, Heather takes a spin with Yogi Bear, circa 1986.

What began as a seasonal role quickly turned into something more. Heather worked at the park through university, eventually becoming an Area Supervisor in rides before joining full-time in 1986. Her first full-time role as an Administrative Assistant quickly expanded beyond its title, giving her exposure to senior leadership and park-wide operations.

From there, her path evolved steadily. She took on responsibility across rides, park services, and admissions, later helping lead one of the park’s most significant expansions – the launch of Splash Works water park in the early 1990s.

“I had the opportunity to be part of the team that helped design it,” she says. “We visited water parks across North America – sometimes flying down on chartered planes, studying it for a few hours, and moving on to the next.”

Heather at the exit to Swing of Siam (later renamed Swings of the Century) in 1982.

They visited Fiesta Texas, Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Disney properties, among others. White Water Bay wave pool at Splash Works takes inspiration from the one at Disney’s Blizard Beach.

“It was incredibly exciting to see that come to life.”

Heather would go on to serve as Manager of Operations, then Director of Operations, guiding the park through major transitions and decades of growth. In her final chapter, she stepped into a dual role as Vice President and Park Manager, overseeing the day-to-day experience of millions of guests each year.

A Front-Row Seat to Change

The park has come a long way in four decades and Heather fondly recalls the simplicity of the park’s first few years.

In the early days, guests were given ticket books that allowed them to access individual rides. Or they could purchase a Pay-One-Price Passport which gave them access to everything. The heavy stock passport came with an elastic so they could wear it around their wrist. Today’s streamlined digital systems are a far cry from those early operations.

Heather with Fred Flintstone and team in 1993 at a service awards presentation.

She’s also witnessed the transformation of the park’s skyline – from the early days of iconic rides like Dragon Fyre to the arrival of towering coasters like Leviathan and Yukon Striker that now define the horizon.

She recalls how the uniforms in the 1980s were part of the experience – and not always in the most practical ways. Heather laughs remembering the themed costumes that defined each area of the park, from Alpenfest’s embroidered cummerbunds to Medieval Fair’s burlap-inspired looks. Her own outfit included “bloomers” that resembled culottes, paired with a blouse with oversized, puffy sleeves and a sailor-style collar finished with a bow. “It was not exactly built for comfort,” she jokes. “And definitely not for the summer heat.” Still, those uniforms were part of what made the park feel immersive and theatrical – details that helped transport guests into another world and gave associates a shared sense of identity (and, in hindsight, a few good laughs).

There were many social activities organized for park staff and the occasional prank joke.

Like the time, in the park’s first year, when high divers decided to pour laundry detergent into the waterfall. “We came in the next morning and there were bubbles everywhere,” she laughs. “Fortunately, I wasn’t part of the team that had to figure out how to fix that.”

Building More Than Rides

While Heather played a role in many of the park’s defining developments, she’s quick to point out that the real impact lies in the people.

“I think the best part of my job has been mentoring,” she says. “Watching young associates grow into leaders – seeing them go on to become doctors, lawyers, professionals – and knowing the park played a role in that… that’s incredibly meaningful.”

She credits the mentorship and leadership of Bob Montgomery, Raffi Kaprelyan, and Phil Liggett as instrumental in shaping the leader she is today.

For generations of employees, Canada’s Wonderland has been a first job, a leadership training ground, and a place where lifelong friendships are formed. Heather helped shape that culture –one rooted in high standards, teamwork, and leading by example.

Her guiding principle was simple: never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself – even if that meant stepping in to handle the less glamorous parts of the job, like sweeping up litter from the midways or cleaning up back areas.

Heather as a Celebrity Clown with WinterFest characters at the Santa Claus Parade, 2022.

Creating Moments That Matter

Across her career, it’s the deeply human moments that have stayed with her most.

She recalls working with a ride manufacturer to find an accommodation for a guest with a physical disability. They found a solution and the guest was able to experience the ride – something they didn’t think was possible. She also remembers arranging a special character meet-and-greet for a non-verbal child with autism who loved Linus from the PEANUTS. The child spoke her first words in that encounter and it became an experience the family would never forget.

“These are the things that stick with you,” Heather says. “You realize you’re part of someone’s special day – their memory that they’ll carry for the rest of their life.”

It’s a perspective that shaped her leadership at every level – from supervising frontline teams to overseeing park-wide operations.

Heather with Six Flags CEO John Reilly and the Canada’s Wonderland leadership team, outside of Lazy Bear Lodge, 2025

Looking Ahead – And Slowing Down

As retirement approaches, Heather is candid about the adjustment ahead.

“I think it’s going to be hard to leave,” she admits. “There’s a magic to this place.”

Still, she’s looking forward to a different pace of life – one not dictated by operating calendars and late nights during Halloween Haunt. She’s eager to spend more time with her family, especially her parents, and to finally tackle the ever-growing stack of books she’s collected over the years.

“I’m a doer,” she says with a smile. “So I think I need to learn how to slow down.”

A Lasting Legacy

Heather Hill’s impact on Canada’s Wonderland is immeasurable – not just in the roles she held or the milestones she helped lead, but in the people she developed and the culture she helped define.

Her career – from ride operator to Vice President and Park Manager – is a testament to what’s possible when passion meets purpose, and when a first job becomes a lifelong calling.

As she steps away from the park, her legacy will remain in every corner: in the teams she mentored, the standards she set, and the millions of guests whose days were made just a little more magical because of her work.

And while Heather’s chapter is coming to a close, the next one is already beginning. Christopher Mortensen is joining the park as its new Park President, bringing both deep industry experience and a familiar connection to Canada’s Wonderland. Having started his own journey here as a ride operator in 2002 where he mentored under Heather for 12 years, Chris returns with a full-circle perspective shaped by leadership roles across major destinations, including West Edmonton Mall, American Dream, and Noah’s Ark Waterpark.

His return reflects the same spirit Heather championed throughout her career: growing leaders from within and creating opportunities that come full circle.

As Canada’s Wonderland looks ahead, it does so with a foundation built by leaders like Heather – and a future shaped by those she helped inspire.

Rob Karim, former Ride Operations Manager, Chris Mortensen and Heather, taken 2021