The new Royal Heights splash park is nearing completion, with an anticipated opening date of spring, 2016. The new splash park project, one of many updates to the Royal Heights Veterans Memorial Park, was given $140,000 in funding by the City of Estevan.
Parks manager Rod March stated the splash pad will be completed this week, after a delay caused by a burst of heavy rainfall Estevan received in early September.
He noted the old splash pad was removed in early August, and public works considered repairing it, until it was determined that the cost of repairs would exceed the cost of replacing it. After receiving five proposals, city council awarded tender to Western Recreation, a company that specializes in municipal water parks.
“Construction was at a critical stage, and the rain washed away some of the base material. We had to wait for the rainwater to subside, and rebuild minor sections of the base materials,” said March last week, in correspondence with the Mercury. “Cement was poured on Thursday, the spray toys have arrived, and they will be installed in the next four or five days.
“We made one change to the original design, which was to construct a six-foot concrete perimeter around the original design,” said March. “This was to allow for potential overspray control, and to allow for a walkway around the splash pad.”
In addition to a new pad for the splash park, there are a number of new splash pad toys to be installed. Since the Estevan branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is also funding the park, there will a poppy motif to some of the toys.
“It was a fitting theme for the area,” said March. “It will fit nicely into the landscape of the park.”
March noted that there are some minor tasks left to complete on the perimeter of the park, including new picnic tables, pathways, light posts, signage and trees; all of which will be completed in spring, 2016.
“We’re also completing moving of the gazebo to its new foundation. We’re cleaning up the area now, constructing the wheelchair ramp, and removing old foundation concrete materials,” said March. “The area of the old foundation will see a new paving stone design inside the vegetative hedging. It is anticipated this area will house a military type of artifact in the near future, consistent with the Legion’s vision for the park.”
After sitting idle and inoperable for several years, the city gave a directive to move forward with the construction of a new splash park. Originally scheduled for 2016, the plan was prioritized by council and work began in 2015.
“Citizens and visitors will surely enjoy this addition to the park,” said March. “We look forward to completing the revitalization of the pathways and complimenting vegetation to finish it off.”
