Two years ago the question was asked, ‘why doesn’t Wallaceburg have a splash pad?’
Fast forward to this weekend, and that question doesn’t need to be asked.
A grand opening opening and ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Colwell park in Wallaceburg on Saturday, August 19, the home of the brand new Wallaceburg Splash Pad.
“Thank you to everyone that has contributed to this splash pad however they could,” announced Chris Young, chair of the local splash pad committee.
“This has been a wonderful, wonderful experience for all of us from the community. It wouldn’t have happened without everyone working together to make it happen. The community provided the property and we provided the materials. This is something we can all truly be proud of. The playground equipment, the new splash pad and the pavilion in the middle. I think this is going to be a new centre piece for a long time.”
Young said two years ago a group of local residents got together, asking the same question: Why doesn’t Wallaceburg have a splash pad?
“We said it’s not going to happen unless we step forward and do it,” he said.
“We talked and we talked and we talked and before you know it, things started to happen. Without that dedication and the hard work… this would not have been possible.”
Young said the following individuals needed to be thanked for their dedication towards the project: Deadra Kilbride, Judy Bachus, Kelly Bachus, Darlene Findlater, Matt Mikhaila, Heather Dramnitzke, Heather Gordon-Alexander, Ruby Gordon, Jan Meloche, Karen Kennedy, Lauren Freeburn, Sharon Young, Brittany VanRuymbeke, Jane McGee, Carmen McGRegor, Jeff Wesley, Dave Brundritt, Deb Logan, Gord Cheney and Scott Malone.
“I personally, from the bottom of my heart say thank you to all of you for coming out and helping,” Young said on Saturday.
“I know every time we think of the Wallaceburg Splash Pad we will all get a little grin and a great feeling of accomplishment. Everyone has stepped up in some way right from the start as soon as we started talking about it. It wasn’t long before we were getting calls from businesses, friends, family, people that have lived in Wallaceburg a long, long time ago and wanted to donate and somehow made this happen.”
After making a plea this past week on the radio that $25,000 still needed to be raised, Young got a text from Clarence Fields to call him.
“The Laborers’ International Union of North America: Windsor chapter and Sarnia chapter combined are donating $15,000 to our project. Thank you. Thank you Clarence Fields,” Young announced.
“Words can’t express things like this. Stuff happens. We said we would build it, we knew we would build it and gosh darnit, it got done. Thank you everybody.”
Mayor Randy Hope was on hand on Saturday on behalf of councillors Wesley and McGregor.
“We found it very important for the Splash Pad initiative is that we engage communities to raise the money to make it a community ownership which is really good,” Hope said.
“I think that every community recognized one important thing. It’s about those individuals that are standing in the front. Every child with every ability will have a chance to play in the water with the rest of the kids. There is no limitations. A child with crutches, a child or an adult with a wheelchair. As long as it is not motorized or electrical, it will still work.”
Hope added: “The important thing is that every person has the opportunity to play in water and be integrated with every other child. That is one of the important things around splash pads, is that everybody can be a part of it no matter what ability they have, they can play with the other children.”
Hope said it warms his heart to know that the community has taken this initiative.
“I know it has been talked about for years in Wallaceburg, but it is now done,” he said.
“What more can I say to everybody that is involved. From the smallest contribution to hearing about a little child coming around, 12-years-old, and helping lay sod all day, to the person who puts $0.25 in or the person who put big dollars in. Every dollar counted in this initiative to support the children. Congratulations to everybody for what they have done.”
Keep up to the date with the Wallaceburg Splash Pas, by giving them a ‘Like’ on Facebook.
Here are some photos from Saturday’s grand opening from Tami Eagen:
– Photo credit: Tami Eagen
– With files from Tami Eagen
