Tourism: A well-established Santa’s Village

 To be able to enjoy this magical place year-round, this theme park had to be built on solid ground.Therefore, it is with great honor that the Postech Screw Piles Muskoka team participated in the installation of the foundations of Santa’s Village in Bracebridge. 

Many structures supported by piles 

Indeed, throughout the site of Santa’s Village, several structures needed solid foundations, in particular soils, on slopes and in places that were less easy to access: 

The restaurant terraces 

The outdoor terrace required the installation of 39 piles for benches and picnic tables, on sloping ground. The commercial use of the premises required the support of a load of 100 lbs/square feet instead of 60 lbs/square feet applicable in the case of a residential. 

The bumper boat pavilion 

Meanwhile, this area required the installation of numerous piles under the pavilion’s entire concrete slab, as well as in the water. Then to ensure maximum stability, 2 additional piles were installed under the main posts, as well as an additional 3 piles just for the small tower of the Pavilion Lighthouse in Santa’s Village.

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The balloon carousel 

Due to the rotational movements and the height of its structure, this carousel required many calculations of various forces. The Postech Screw Piles Muskoka team installed 9 piles of 6 5/8” in diameter equipped with 3 blades of 22 inches. In order to guarantee greater strength, some piles had to be anchored at a depth of 128 feet, or 40 meters, in the ground to provide all the necessary solidity to the central axis of the carousel. 

The challenges of the project 

Santa’s Village being in the middle of a forest, the challenges were numerous.  The soil types were very diverse, and the multiple angles of the sloping riverbanks needed extra attention.   

As for the terrace, the main challenge was to align and evenly level each bench, and each picnic table on a sloping ground. 

The boat pavilion being located on a riverbank, the Postech Screw Piles Muskoka team had to deal with soft ground and the river itself. However, they also had to make sure that the piles were deep enough to guarantee maximum stability and anchoring strength. 

Finally, the balloon carousel, for which it was necessary to consider multiple resistances and forces that would be exerted on the foundation: lateral resistance, wind, centrifugal force. 

The Postech advantages 

Postech screw pile technology made it possible to meet all the special needs of the Santa’s Village site. Regardless of the size, type of soil, whether in water, mud, or on a slope.  We also needed to consider the weight of structures, whether stationary or in motion. 

The use of piles guarantees solid foundations for several decades to the enjoyment and safety of visitors, but also for the satisfaction of the owner of Santa’s Village. 

In addition, the use of light machinery made it possible to intervene easily and without damage to the terrain throughout the site. 

The Postech Screw Piles Muskoka team is proud to have participated in the construction of Santa’s Village.