The sod has been turned and construction has begun at Jubilee Park’s Rotary Accessible Splash Pad. At a sod turning ceremony May 19 members of the Southampton Rotary Club, along with Hampton the Bear, stood with Mayor Mike Smith in front of the splash pad location. From left, Rotarian and Splash Pad Chair Ed Braun, Saugeen Shores Mayor Mike Smith, Rotarian Tony Sheard and Southampton Rotary President John Conlin.
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The sod has been turned and construction has begun at Jubilee Park’s Rotary Accessible Splash Pad. During a ceremony May 19 that included local dignitaries and community members, the Rotary Club of Port Elgin pledged $15,000 to the project. Representatives from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) and Bruce Power were also present to mark their contributions of$5,000 and $25,000 respectively.
“As you can remember it wasn’t all that long that we were here to open the Accessible Playground, at that time we said if this thing is a success, if people use it and people want to have fun we will build a splash pad. And now a few years later we’re building the Splash Pad,” said Southampton Rotary President John Conlin to applause May 19. “And we’re doing that thanks to this wonderful community, businesses, our colleagues in Rotary, OPG, Bruce Power, the Federal Government, the Town of Saugeen Shores.”
Conlin said they hope the splash pad is operational by the beginning of summer, “earlier if all goes the way it should.”
During the ceremony crew members from ABC Recreation Ltd. were starting to place structures that are part of the 150 square metre splash pad. The crew had started their week at North Shore Park in Port Elgin.
In a media release Rotarian Ed Braun, Chair of the Accessible Splash Pad Committee, said that fundraising is going well for the project and that the Southampton Rotary Club has “$131,000 in the bank.”
The Jubilee Park Rotary Accessible Splash Pad is located behind the Southampton Fire Hall and as such will take on a fire fighting theme. Water used at the pad will be recycled for park irrigation, streetscape watering and to replenish the fire department’s trucks.
ABC Recreation Ltd. were hard at it May 19 working straight through the sod turning ceremony. The construction crew had also been hard at work at the Port Elgin Splash Pad at North Shore Park earlier in the week.
The accessible splash pad at Jubilee Park is expected to be operational by the beginning of summer.
Members of the Port Elgin Rotary Club joined their Southampton friends at the future site of the accessible splash pad, bringing with them their pledge of $15,000.
On behalf of Ontario Power Generation, Kristen Brown was on hand to donate $5,000 to the project.
Representing Bruce Power, Christine John was present with Bruce Power’s commitment of $25,000 to the project.
