Mac Olsen
Express Staff
After several years in development, the Richardson Pioneer Spray Park is officially open for children and families to use.
A grand opening ceremony was held at the spray park, located next to the Falher Regional Recreation Complex, on June 17. It was part of the Honey Festival activities that weekend.
Members of the Falher and Area Beautification and Leisure Activities Society were on hand, as were dignitaries for Richardson Pioneer, the Town of Falher, the M.D. of Smoky River No. 130 and others.
Selena Sliger, the president of FABuLAS, welcomed everyone and highlighted the co-operation it took to make the spray park a reality.
Sliger also recognized the Alberta Government, the businesses and organizations that contributed to the construction of the park.
Marg McCuaig-Boyd, the MLA for Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley, also spoke. She congratulated FABuLAS for former PC MLA Hector Goudreau for their efforts to get the spray park built.
As part of the ceremony, the Alberta Recycling Management Authority provided a donation of $35,342.50 to FABuLAS.
Sliger also introduced each of the dignitaries in turn, including Quinton Bulford, the director of operations for Richardson Pioneer. Bulford commended FABuLAS for their efforts to get the spray park built.
Later, Sliger and Bulford cut the ribbon together, to officially open it. Then children made use of their new facility, laughing and running through the sprayers.
The spray park uses a recirculation system to reduce water consumption.
Construction of the spray park started in the summer of 2014 and finished in 2015. FABuLAS has been fundraising for it since 2013.
Besides the spray park, FABuLAS also did fundraising for the new slide located there. It was officially opened in 2015. Grass has been added around the slide and spray park. There’s also a rubber surface throughout the park, made from used tires.
A fence lines the park, with the names of the sponsors. There’s also a brick path, with the names of the people, businesses and organizations that contributed to its construction.
A video camera has been placed in the park for monitoring.