Celebrating nature and wildlife

The committee that, in 2011, raised $114,000, in just six months, and brought together 200 volunteers to build a beautiful new playground in Earl Baker Park, now has their sights set on a splash pad. 

The playground was phase one of the project, and now is the time to move on to phase two – the splash pad.

“During the playground building process, the question that everyone was asking then, was can we include a splash pad,” Michael Domanko of the South Dundas Community Playground Committee told council at the February 4, meeting, when he presented a plan detailing the proposed project.

A splash pad is a zero depth aquatic structure combining water movement – flowing, spraying, jetting, misting – for children’s play. 

Because there is no standing water, there is no requirement to have a lifeguard and the flow of water means that it is not subject to the same testing requirements as a pool. It uses municipally treated water that is not re-circulated.

The structure envisioned by the committee would cost about $200,000. The committee already has $40,000 of that in place, and asked South Dundas to approve a dollar for dollar funding request to match up to $25,000 of those funds. The group also plans to apply for funding through various sources, and to fund raise.

Communities throughout the region (South Stormont, Cornwall, Brockville) have these types of structures, and area residents with children are travelling to those communities to use those splash pads. Domanko said that often families are then spending their dollars in those communities rather than here.

In his presentation he discussed the positive recreational, health, economic and social benefits this project.

Once the splash pad is up and running, Domanko’s research shows that operational costs would be about $7,000-$8,000 annually.

Council had no problem agreeing to the $25,000 contribution, and were impressed with the very thorough presentation.

“I have no doubt this will happen,” commented South Dundas deputy mayor Jim Locke.

“This is a nice concept,” said South Dundas councillor Jim Graham. “What a great draw for younger families. I certainly support your efforts. This really makes great use of the park area.”

“What a great addition this will be,” said South Dundas councillor Evonne Delegarde. 

South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds, had no issues with the dollar for dollar funding request. “The next step is up to the community,” he said. “If they want it, they will support it.”

From now until August, the committee plans to get kids and their parents engaged in the project, and to fundraise while getting all approvals and quotes in place to coordinate the project launch.

Their plan in to have the splash pad installed and completed by fall.

Once complete, the splash pad would be turned over to the municipality for maintenance and operations.

The committee envisions the splash pad fitting well with the ‘high-end’ look of the park, choosing finishes that blend nicely with the landscape rather than bold primary colours. It would include an above grade cabinet to house the operations systems. The cabinet will be camouflaged with strategic plantings.

The system will be on a timer to allow it only to activate during certain hours, and is activated only when children are there to use the splash pad.

Discussions about the potential need for on-site washroom facilities did take place, as the closest facilities  are at the Morrisburg dock. The committee feels this issue is beyond the scope of their project, although as a short-term solution, if the need arose, they could look at a portable washroom, again well camouflaged in its surroundings.

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So far, over $25,000 has been raised in support of local prostate cancer care, and Tom Clapp, the chair of the Dare to Flash a ‘Stache campaign, and many of the campaign participants are smiling broadly under their now re-growing ‘staches.

“We had no idea what to expect, but people have really supported it,” said Clapp of this first time endeavour. “We are very pleased to say the least.”

South Dundas mayor Steven Byvelds is only of one of the many community members participating in the fund raiser.

Byvelds says that the community has responded to his challenge to raise $1,000. As of today he has collected just over $1,800. He adds that maybe $2,000 should be his new fund raising goal. Anyone who wishes to sponsor any of the participants can do so at www.flashastach.ca and Byvelds will also continue to collect donations by contacting him directly.

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The response for the Kraft Food for Families initiative has been inspiring and for the Mountain House of Lazarus Food Bank a local success story.

Kraft Food for Families is a community-based program designed to help Canadian families get food on the table. 

The original goal was to donate up to $50,000 to 30 food banks across Canada and award a $10,000 bonus donation to the food bank with the most names in support.

According to the Kraft Food for Families website, “people from across Canada came together and added thousands of names in support of their local food banks, helping us to reach that goal.”

Leading the way were the people in the Owen Sound area. With each vote translating into a $1 donation, some 22,232 people there voted for the Salvation Army Food Bank which serves 600 people each month.

The Owen Sound total, in combination with other votes across the country, allowed the contest to quickly reach the 50,000 vote maximum set by Kraft Foods.

Also as a result of the voting, the Owen Sound Food Bank received over $30,000 ($1 per vote and the $10,000 bonus donation). 

Shortly after the Owen Sound victory, Kraft Food for Families announced a phase two initiative to support community banks, which was $1,000 weekly donations for 10 weeks, to the food bank collecting the most names in each of the weeks.

It began on December 2 and wraps up February 10.

In week five, thanks to a great response from the local public, the House of Lazarus Food Bank in Mountain, was the $1,000 winner.

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