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Council approves $200,000 in upgrades to Alliston splash pad

July 17, 2014   ·   0 Comments

Council has approved a request from the Rotary Club of Alliston to match funds with them for the enhancement of the Alliston splash pad as part of Rotary’s 60th Anniversary celebrations in 2015.

The $100,000 from the Town of New Tecumseth will be taken from the HEC (Hydro) fund and will be matched by the Rotary Club, through fundraising. For $200,000, the Alliston splash pad will be increased in size from 800 sq.ft. to roughly 2400–3200 sq.ft. (accommodating 50 more people at one time); get a pathway, connecting the Rotary Park, splash pad and Rotary Pool; sunshades around the splash pad; and any landscaping required.

In the presentation given by Rotarians Bill Wray and Paul Foster, they acknowledged their “bad timing”, referring to the concluded 2014 budget and the upcoming election, but said they needed council’s approval to move forward with the project.

“We want the park, splash pad and pool to be the centerpiece of our community,” Wray said. Although the Rotary Club has no preliminary plans for what the new development will look like, Foster said that the scale and scope of the project would vary as the exact amount of funding they could contribute was determined. They already have $65,000 to contribute, with a major fundraiser planned in the fall.

Over the years, the Rotary Club of Alliston has built the outdoor pool, held beef barbecues, contributed to Potato Festival, provided dictionaries to elementary school students, hosted the Alliston Night Lit Santa Claus Parade, and provided grants to secondary school students entering post secondary education.

As a registered charity, donations made to the Rotary Club are eligible for a tax receipt – for those who would like to contribute to the project.

Although this term of council selected the HEC reserve as the funding source, the incoming council may change the funding source, although they cannot undo council’s decision to support the project without opening themselves to repercussions.

By Wendy Gabrek

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