18 | Summer 2020
The Cache Valley Fun Park Invites Families to Come Back and Have Some Fun written by EMILY BUCKLEY,
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ver two decades ago, Cache Valley resident Forrest Fackrell saw a need for more wholesome family entertainment in Cache Valley. Instead of waiting for someone else to do something about it, he purposed the idea of opening a roller rink to his wife, and 13 months later, in April 1998, they opened the Cache Valley Fun Park, located at 255 E. 1770 North in Logan. The original Fun Park housed a roller-skating rink, arcade, and a snack bar. In the 22 to years since it opened, it has evolved to keep up with the growth of the valley and now includes a soft play jungle gym, indoor laser runner, outdoor tactical laser tag, ax throwing, and bowling. The snack bar has also been expanded to a full café, selling freshly made pizza, burgers, and even Aggie Ice Cream. “There is something for everyone,” General Manager Gary Wiser said. “We say we are the funnest place in town, and I really think that is true. From toddlers to grandparents, everyone can have a good time at the Fun Park.” The Fun Park is also a favorite birthday party venue for Cache Valley families. “We make the planning, entertainment, and clean up really easy for parents,” Gary said. During the school year, The Fun Park hosts toddler playtimes for preschool-aged kids that include crafts, storytime, science experiments, dancing on the roller rink, and playtime in the soft play area. And on Tuesdays and Wednesday evenings the roller rink is filled with young adults for SK80s Night or country swing dancing. Those weekly activities came to an abrupt halt in mid-March when The Fun Park was forced to close amid the COVID-10 crisis. For almost two months the building sat empty, but they have now reopened all of their activity areas, with stringent cleaning and sanitation standards in place, and invite families to come back and enjoy some quality time together. “We really hope people will feel safe coming to the Fun Park,” Gary said. “I would hate to see this Cache Valley treasure go to the wayside; times have definitely been tough. We are doing everything possible to minimize risk for our customers.” Some ways families may consider supporting the Fun Park during these unusual times include buying gift cards for future use or utilizing the outdoor tactical laser tag. “That activity naturally lends itself to social distancing,” Gary said. “Plus, it is outside and limited to just your group for use.” He also said that their café is offering curbside delivery for food. “If nothing else, come get an Aggie Ice Cream cone,” Gary said. “Every little bit helps.” The Fun Park is offering its acclaimed summer camps this year. Parents can register their kids online at cachevalleyfunpark.com. Gary says he loves his job. “The reality is that I’m just a big kid. There is just something about this place that clicks with my soul. I love seeing people have a good time and I love working with my employees because they share this mentality — they all want to see people come and have a good time and work really hard to make that happen.”
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