Despite supply chain setbacks, the town is eyeing a summer 2023 opening date for the Awen Waterplay Park.
During Monday’s corporate and community services committee meeting, councillors received an update on major town parks, recreation and culture projects leading into the end of the council term. As part of that update, the town’s director of Parks, Recreation and Culture, Dean Collver, provided up-to-date information on the status of the Awen Waterplay Park.
“People are excited for what may come next spring,” said the town’s Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture Dean Collver.
Collver noted footings, pilings, armourstone assembly and placement, planter concrete curbs, the waterfall foundation and exterior plumbing had all been completed at the site. Still underway is the artwork for the waterfall features, the waterplay activator construction (a beaver, frog and heron are planned) and the waterplay pad curbs.
Over the winter, there are plans to complete the indoor mechanical and finishing work. The park is expected to open in time for the summer 2023 season.
The Awen Waterplay Park is being constructed in Harbourview Park, adjacent to the Awen Gathering Place. The site will include multiple water-play features including waterfalls, a splash pad, a washroom/change facility and parking. The water throughout the site will be recycled.
Ojibwa adviser, elder and knowledge keeper Dr. Duke Redbird was consulted on the design of the site.
As Harbourview Park is the site of a closed landfill, the property was cleaned when it was closed and materials that would be considered hazardous and/or create off-gasses like methane were removed. Inorganic materials such as hose, carpet and glass remain buried at the site and covered with topsoil.
The town had a D-4 study completed — a comprehensive review used for former landfills and adjacent lands to determine the impact of development on the land and identify potential hazards. The study conducted at Harbourview Park did not identify hazards, and cleared it for development.
The parking lot grading and stormwater management was completed in August 2021.
At their May 30 meeting, councillors voted in favour of increasing the budget for the project to $2.5 million, after staff brought forward issues they had been dealing with on the project such as supply chain and vendor access. The original budget for the project when it was proposed had been $1.5 million.
