If all goes well, the funds will be raised this year and then next year work can commence to build the latest, and sixth, spray park in the city.
Planned for Regal Heights Park, the proposed 50 foot by 50 foot spray park will be located just off of 13th Avenue NW slightly north west of the skating rink.
“We give money to schools and playgrounds and this time we thought we would towards something that can have an impact and so we thought a spray park was a good choice,” Sandra Stewart, chair of the North West Community Association (NWCA) told MJ Independent.
The proposed spray park is presently budgeted to cost $186,000 but other additions to the area such as an accessible pathway to the spray plus picnic tables, benches and other necessary upgrades would see the entire proposed project costing approximately $250,000.
The picnic tables and benches would be positioned in a manner to take advantage of the shade provided by a large stand of poplar trees just to the west of the site, she said.
The two plans they are looking at are a spray park shaped as a circle or a kidney shaped park. The final design is dependent on how much they are able to raise.
The entire Regal Heights Park itself is ringed on one side with rental accommodations and on the other side single family homes. The area has many children who could take advantage of a spray park.
At the present time the group is trying to raise as much as they can through grants and other private donations. They are also looking into fundraisers which do not cost a lot of the money they have in their bank account to put on.
“We thought we could hold an on-line 50-50 draw to raise funds. Something that doesn’t cause us to spend what we have in the bank to make more money,” she said about where some of the funds will come from.
Asked what was needed from the community and she said it was to donate toward the project which, since the announcement last week, is just starting to pick up steam.
Asked about interest in the community pointed the to large number of people — well over 30 — who have expressed coming out and joining the North West Community Association after the spray park was announced.
What the project needs right now though is for people to donate.
“We would like to see people donate to the project. Donations is the first and foremost thing we need to make this project successful,” she said, adding the NWCA had not yet asked Council to designate the project a municipal project.
Being declared a municipal project would allow income tax receipts to be issued for donations.
The NWCA does not know how much they would have to raise for the project as they are hoping for the City of Moose Jaw to contribute as well to the proposed spray park. Such determinations would have to be made at budget time.
At the present time the group has submitted and application for a major grant from a well-known local business who has in the past contributed to parks and recreation facilities and programs in the city.
So far the city has said funds from the 10 year naming rights for the spray park can be used as part of the NWCA’s contribution to the project.
For further information or to help out contact by the NWCA mjnorthwest2020@gmail.com or call (306) 631-4848.
