Marineland owner Marie Holer dies, park says 'succession plan' in place

Marineland's owner, Marie Holer, has died.

Marie Holer took over the tourist attraction in Niagara Falls, Ont., from her husband John Holer after he died in 2018.

"Her grace, kindness, and unwavering support were integral to the fabric of Marineland's legacy," the park said in a statement.

Marineland said the park "remains under strong leadership."

"Our founder, anticipating life's uncertainties, had put in place a robust succession plan to ensure the continuity of our operations," Marineland said.

"All our projects are progressing as planned."

Marineland did not say who will inherit the keys to the park.

Last year, Marineland said it was looking for a new owner to help transition the park to a new era. The park said this year that transition to new ownership was ongoing, but did not provide details. Property records this summer showed no change in hands.

As rumours of a sale swirled, the park announced it would only open for two months this year, July and August, rather than from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving.

It opened under vastly reduced rates with all of its rides closed and many of the animals off limits.

John Holer came to Canada from Slovenia, where he worked in circuses, and founded Marineland in 1961. It was here in Canada that he met Marie, also Slovenian, and the two married.

The pair worked side by side for decades, growing the business into one of the most popular zoos in the country.

Millions flocked to the park through the years to see killer whales put on big shows with bigger splashes. There were also dolphins, seals, sea lions and, eventually, beluga whales, along with a wide variety of land animals.

Most of those animals have since died, but there remains a large beluga whale population, which numbered three dozen last year when The Canadian Press visited.

The park has also attracted a lot of criticism from protesters over the years, many concerned about the well-being of the marine mammals kept in captivity.

Former employees spoke out about the allegedly poor treatment of its animals 10 years ago, which the park denied.

Since then, the province enacted new laws against keeping killer whales in captivity and eventually the federal government enacted laws banning captivity of killer whales.

Seventeen whales have died at Marineland since 2019, including its last killer whale, and the last captive orca in Canada, Kiska, which died in 2023.

In the spring, Marie Holer wrote a note to visitors.

"I continue to be so proud of the hundreds of people from our community that work to make Marineland such a welcoming place for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who visit the Niagara region to spend time with us," she wrote.

"That commitment to our employees and the community will not change."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press