Grey Highlands is supporting a community-led project to build a new splash pad at King Edward Park in Markdale.
Council approved the proposed project in principle and directed staff to bring back a King Edward Park Master Plan study for consideration as part of next year’s budget deliberations during a meeting on Sept. 6.
A staff report says further discussion and approvals will be needed as plans for a future splash pad are developed.
The splash pad group has suggested this would be a three-year project.
“I believe the community group is obviously trying to see this built as fast as possible but there is an understanding that it is going to take a few years to see this project through and to try and get some grant funding as such. In the report, staff are suggesting this could take five years to fully plan this out,” says Deputy Mayor Dane Nielsen.
The proposed splash pad would be about 3,100 square feet, and could be located at one of two locations at the park, the area next to the south side of the arena, or next to the south side of the basketball court.
The report adds Grey County’s Growth Management Study projects a 5.1 per cent increase in residential growth in Grey Highlands over the next 25 years, and the demand for increased recreational facilities is anticipated, which includes splash pads.
While the costs for the project have not been finalized, the Markdale Splash Pad group has indicated its goal is to start fundraising immediately. The master plan will also include costs for the potential splash pad.
“I think there is significant style changes in size of operations that you can do with the splash pad that can have such a significant range in the price tag, depending on the size, what kind of water system is in place for it, types of attractions and situations there. There is a lot of different things that can impact that price tag,” says Nielsen.
