MEADOWVALE, N.S. — Greg Porter has big dreams for the former Greenwood Saddle Club property.
Porter works alongside his wife, Amanda (Burbidge) Porter, to run Winsome Blue Stables out of the expansive acreage lining Highway 201 in Meadowvale. His wife, originally from Wilmot, is a well-regarded hunter and jumper riding coach with past ties to the Greenwood Saddle Club.
“The way she talked about it from her childhood was with such love… she just had years of amazing experiences there,” said Porter.
“I see the positive effects of what she does and how it’s really shaped our kids.”
Fast forward a decade and a bit, and the couple is now leasing the property for their business.
Porter, who also runs a marketing company, feels fortunate to have the opportunity to raise their three children in a place that sets his mind in motion whenever he steps outside.
“We just really wanted to be outside more,” he said.
“I fell in love with being in the woods, to the point that I was going out there all the time.”
They run camps and events as an extension of the Winsome Blue’s operations for now, but Porter envisions more – much more.
“We’re hopeful to be able to really transform it into an active theme park, and have different things that interest adults and kids,” he said, explaining that the idea is to create a fun environment for fitness.
“We see some good things coming from it and we’re really excited to see what we can do with it.”
Porter is in the process of seeking zoning approvals to turn his vision for the developing Greenwood Outdoor Adventure Park into a reality.
“I’d like to have it so that it is a park that allows people to come in, explore the trails, take part in guided excursions that take them on an adventure - from wagon rides, to trail rides to obstacle course training, to CrossFit,” he said.
The idea is to open an ever-evolving active theme park with fun activities that get people of all ages excited to be outdoors – and moving.
The widespread interest in the birthday parties, themed camps and private events they’ve been able to host as an extension of their existing business tells Porter that what he has in mind also makes sense on paper.
“We’re floored with the response,” he said.
Parked vehicles lined the long driveway from the stables to the road for the first themed camp they hosted.
“Every single kid went home completely exhausted, and that was my goal,” said Porter, listing FortNite and Fairyland Rescue as examples of a camp theme.
A self-described Disney fanatic, he finds sheer joy in working with his wife to plot out themed adventures that are built around a story.
“When I go to Disney, every time I’m just floored at the infrastructure and the thought and the planning. It’s planned so well in advance; it’s hard to actually put into words. That inspired my thought as we moved forward with this.”
The wooded trails naturally filter out the outside world for camp participants, Porter said.
“I’d like to just be out there every single day working at it and expanding it, creating different things and being inspired.”
He sees endless opportunities to add new and exciting features once all of the necessary land-use approvals are in place.
“With that property, I’m able to always keep it progressing,” he said.
“I don’t see an end in sight.”
Learn more at https://outdooradventureparks.ca/
