Kiwanians nozzle up to splash pad project

The service club that brought disc golf to Penhorwood Park is planning a far bigger initiative for 2018.

The Kiwanis Club of Lakeshore pledged $85,000 tonight to build a pavilion at the new splash pad at Bellevue Park.

The pavilion will house lockers, change stalls and a common space, Dave Shier, the club's president-elect, and president of the Kiwanis Club of Lakeshore Foundation, told tonight's meeting of Sault Ste. Marie City Council.

Shier was accompanied at tonight's announcement by Mary Hewgill, current president of the Lakeshore Kiwanis, as well as Jack Davidson, immediate past president and Division 2 lieutenant governor for Kiwanis' Eastern Canada and Caribbean district. 

"This project is going ahead in the spring, in large part because of the contribution that you're making here," said Paul Christian, chair of the city's splash pad subcommittee.

Christian, a Ward 1 councillor, credited his Ward 2 counterpart Susan Myers for first approaching Kiwanis Lakeshore with the idea.

"We want to be very clear that the splash pad will be built this spring," said Mayor Christian Provenzano.

Also tonight, city councillors approved a donor recognition package for the splash pad initiative.

"There's not a lot more, in terms of donations, that we really need, Councillor Christian said.

With tonight's Kiwanis gift, contributions to the Sault's first splash pad are just shy of $400,000.

City Council provided $25,000 in initial seed money.

Rotarians also supported the spash pad and an additional $250,000 came from the city's subdividers' reserve fund, provided by developers who contribute in lieu of green space.

The city also has an outstanding Trillium Foundation grant application for the project and some local businesses have been approached about providing building materials as in-kind donations, Christian said.

"The public needs to know that this splash pad is being built in the spring," he added. "There's no confusion about it. There's no controversies. We're well on our way."

Lakeshore Kiwanians donated $10,000 for equipment for the Sault's first disc golf course, which opened last June in Penhorwood Park, located at Pine Street and MacDonald Avenue.