Jeff Carver (right), presented Amy Shute, Port Elgin Splashpad Committee with a cheque for $1,000 toward the Port Elgin splash pad project.

Hub Staff

Donations continue to come in for the Port Elgin splash pad project despite opposition regarding the proposed North Shore Park location.

The Wismer House gave their second $1,000 donation to the project on October 25. Amy Shute, Port Elgin Splashpad Committee, said the committee is grateful to Jeff and the Wismer House as they’ve been a constant support to the project.

See: Wismer House gives to splash pad project

The North Shore Park location was approved in principle by Saugeen Shores Council this past June after nearly two years of fundraising efforts by the committee.

See: Splash Pad at North Shore Park receives council’s endorsement

At the time, financial contributions, both pledged and confirmed, totalled $220,000 and to date the committee has raised 80 percent of the funds needed to proceed with the project. Significant contributors to the project are: Port Elgin Lion’s Club, Bruce Power, The Society of Energy Professionals and Lake Huron Children’s Festival, a committee-run Port Elgin Splashpad fundraising event.

Shute said that the hope is that families will be able to use the water park from June through September. “It’s accessible, you cannot take a lot of people with physical disabilities to the beach,” said Shute, adding that it is also a safe alternative to taking small children to the lake. “There’s 2,000 kids in town, I’m sure a lot of moms would appreciate it, and dads too, a place to take kids that’s totally safe.”

If approved, the proposed project would be built on what is currently a clearing within North Shore Park, with four trees needing to be removed and, upon completion, would be expected to occupy 1.23 percent of the park or 2,435 square feet.

A concept drawing of the Port Elgin splash pad proposed at North Shore Park.

The proposed location of the Port Elgin splash pad, a clearing within North Shore Park.

The North Shore Park location was decided on as it met all of criteria set forth by council.

See: Support and concerns expressed for proposed splash pad

“So when we approached council with the whole idea and we were seeking approval to continue with our project, they said, ‘Okay, this is what needs to happen for it to be approved,’” explained Shute, adding that the committee was tasked with finding a location that had all of the “many features” required by council.

“We toured around town, staff and myself and some other girls from the committee with a check list... and North Shore Park was the only location that had everything,” said Shute, adding that the committee also had to keep costs under $400,000 to make it feasible for the municipality. Considerations included accessibility, washrooms, parking and access to water. Shute said other locations meant upwards of double the cost to start constructing something from the ground up.

Soon after the project and proposed location received council’s support, a petition, spearheaded by the Friends of North Shore Park began to circulate, both within the community and online and to date has garnered over 1,600 signatories.

See: Friends of North Shore Park submit letter to council

See: North Shore Park discussion heated; public meeting approved

Jeff Carver said that he doesn’t understand the controversy. “This conversation is about building a children’s playground, a splash pad, in a public park, that is it,” said Carver. “This is not a moral issue, we are not talking about a DGR or nuclear dump site. This is not a question of personal health or the potential negative impact a wind turbine may have on a person's quality of life.”

Carver continued. “Certainly people are more than entitled to their opinions but let's be clear, we are talking about a playground with sprinklers for children that will have no negative effect on people's health or the environment. The municipality needs to stand up for this dedicated group of people trying to build an asset for our town and offer their support and assistance.”

Carver added that in this day and age, municipalities and provincial and federal governments simply don’t have money for these kinds of community projects so it takes a local fundraising effort, “a champion” to make it happen.

Shute said that until officials say that they need to look for a new location or put things on pause, the committee will continue as planned. “We’re going to follow the municipality and council’s advice but our goal is to have a splash pad and that’s where we’re headed,” she said.

“We’re moving ahead, we want to complete the goal that we set out to do, going on three years now, and we want to just focus on the positivity of the project,” said Shute. “When it’s in there it’s going to be beautiful and people are really going to like it."