In 1984, our Founder & President – Wyeth Tracy – was hired as the Director of Capital Works at Ontario Place in Toronto to spearhead a 5-year renovation plan for the park. One of the first recorded water play areas was built at Ontario Place in 1971 where some innovative designers fresh from the 1967 World’s Fair in Montreal had created innovative, interactive water features in an aquatic playground of undulating shallow pools. As most of these features were removed over the years, Wyeth decided to search for products for the renovation and realized that he couldn’t find what he needed.

Seeing how much fun both children and adults had in the splash area, Wyeth decided that there was a market for innovative and interactive aquatic play features. With 20 years experience in maintenance, construction, and industrial design in the leisure industry, he was the perfect candidate to bring something new the market. Over the course of the next year, he used his Engineering background to develop a waterbike, watertotter and watershooter which were all well received.

Prior to Watertoys creating their initial concepts, there was nothing quite like it on the market. Our first products were designed to be used in existing children’s wading pools to make them more exciting for the patrons. Kids could peddle, turn a hand wheel, or pump the watertotter to create streams of water for water battles, something only available at the time using water pistols.

From the beginning, Wyeth’s goal was to differentiate his company with his unbeatable dedication to quality and design. He decided that nonferrous materials were the best option for use in chlorinated water which was unique to the marketplace as other metal static spray features started to appear. Thanks to this, Empex could offer a lifetime corrosion warranty, low heat conductivity on hot days, and low electrical conductivity in cases of electrical storms.

Empex also uses larger pipe sizes that are unique to the market which allows us to present bolder, brighter colors. Composite plastics also allow us more latitude to design very high quality, creative, tactile forms which are attractive and safe for child interaction. Since the materials are just as strong but lighter than steel, Empex products are easily handled and do not require elaborate foundations which decrease overall construction costs.

Since 1986, Empex Watertoys has designed and built splash pad equipment and water features that are enjoyed by patrons of all ages in over 50 countries around the world. Our 20,000 sq. ft. design and manufacturing facility is dedicated to creative, fun and interactive concepts and designs, and the building of the safest, most enjoyable and durable water toys and equipment.

Today, Empex Watertoys is proud to provide top quality, guaranteed products, low in maintenance and unique in design to all others. For those who wish to be set apart from the rest, Watertoys is sure to be your best choice.