Annapolis County to Issue New Request for Development Proposals on Former Upper Clements Park Land

The Municipality of the County of Annapolis plans to issue a new request for development proposals for the former Upper Clements Park site. The 26-hectare property has stood empty since the park closed in 2019 after three decades of operation. The county purchased the land for $600,000 in 2020.

An earlier development plan for a satellite campus of an elite private school was halted after a court ruled the land transfer invalid.

The park once featured a wooden roller coaster, a flume ride, and a haunted house. The roller coaster and flume ride have been removed, and the haunted house burned down in 2023. Only a zip line and mini-putt course remain standing. The boardwalk is cordoned off, and the pond has been returned to a natural stream.

The park opened in 1989 under provincial ownership at a cost of $23 million. It changed hands multiple times before closing due to financial shortfalls. The county received no bids on its most recent request for proposals. Officials say the new request will remain open to all types of development, including housing or job-creating projects.

"We’re excited. It’s a beautiful piece of property. We know it was great as a park and we’re interested in who might be interested in making it the next best thing for Annapolis County," said the county’s chief administrative officer.