The owners of a Chilliwack agritourism business are marking 25 years of entertaining and educating the public on their life and love of farming.

The Chilliwack Corn Maze at Greendale Acres 鈥� Canada鈥檚 very first corn maze 鈥� opens for its 25 season on Aug. 10, and there will be a special kick-off party on Saturday, Aug. 12.

This year鈥檚 maze design is a celebration of the relationships and memories that have been made on the farm and in the community over those years, said co-owner Vanessa Oddy.

鈥淚n preparation for this year we have gone back into the storage and memory boxes shoved into corners of the basement,鈥� she said.

Although it initially opened in 1999, the idea to build Canada鈥檚 first corn maze came two years prior.

In 1997, John Bruinsma (Oddy鈥檚 father) read a magazine article about a student in Utah who set up a corn maze to help families experience farm life in a fun way. This concept appealed to Bruinsma and his wife Diane and they recognized that fewer and fewer people had access to family farms. They believed in the importance of connecting our community with agriculture.

Two years later, the Bruinsmas along with partners Lloyd and Wendy Taekema, opened the first corn maze in Canada.

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Through years of hard work, the two families transformed an old dairy farm on Cannor Road into the Chilliwack Corn Maze, but the roots of the farm have remained the same.

The old barn and bunker and the apple orchard that the Bruinsmas cultivated previously are still there and land was cleared to make room for pumpkin patches. The field that previously rotated crops became dedicated primarily to corn.

Agricultural attractions and educational programs were added and new life and energy were brought to the farm. It quickly became a popular destination for families, schools and various community groups to share memories and traditions.

Today the farm is operated by the Bruinsmas鈥� three daughters along with their husbands.

Oddy said she, along with her sisters and families, are 鈥渆xcited and honoured to have the opportunity to carry on this beautiful legacy in our community.鈥�

As the Lower Mainland becomes increasingly urbanized, the desire to reconnect people with nature and agriculture remains a core motivation on the farm.

Each year the design of the maze changes.

鈥淥ur goal in the creation of each design is to make sure that the message in our field is something positive that helps encourage and spread light throughout our community. It鈥檚 a labour of love and we get excited every year to share it with our guests,鈥� Oddy said.

In past years, they鈥檝e paid tribute to Terry Fox, Canuck Place and the RCMP. They鈥檝e had themes based on a children鈥檚 book, the 2010 Olympic Games and Science World.

This year鈥檚 design is simple: a barn sits in a field surrounded by corn and pumpkins with the sun radiating in the background. Leading to the front door of the barn is a winding road.

For the team at Greendale Acres this is the road back home, Oddy said.

They have all spent time living away from the farm but they have always been brought back. That is their hope for their guests.

鈥淣o matter where you go or how busy life becomes you will always have a family farm to call home.鈥�

The Chilliwack Corn Maze at Greendale Acres, celebrating 25 year, opens on Thursday, Aug. 10.

The Corn Maze Kick Off Concert featuring the Tanner Olsen Band is on Aug. 12. This all-ages event starts at 5:30 p.m. with opening acts Geoff Moore and Tony Stevens, followed by Tanner Olsen Band from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $20.

Regular admission to the corn maze is $16 online and $18 at the door. Children aged two and under and people 75 and older are free to attend.

Special dates:

Oct. 6 and Oct. 21: Grandparents Day, all grandparents visit for free.

Every Thursday in August and September: $12 admission at the door only from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For more info, including hours, and to buy tickets, go to greendaleacres.ca. Greendale Acres is located at 41905 Yale Road W.