Hot summer days were made for dashes through cool water, so it’s no wonder kids in Irricana were out in force June 25 to soak up the sun and play in the water at Irricana’s long-awaited splash park re-opening. Located just off Henricks Drive, the splash park’s grand opening drew in around 20 kids for the party-like event, which included music, Popsicles and ice cream sandwiches. “I’m super excited it’s finally done,” said Tawnia Butler, Town of Irricana’s Community Services co-ordinator. “Everyone, including Public Works, really took this to heart. Our team has family in town, as well, so it meant a lot to them to see it up and running. It was a great moment for all of us to share.” The splash park was closed last summer because of an underground pipe burst, but the Town was hard at work to fix and improve the park in the meantime. New features at the park range from an aqua dome and water tunnel to a dump bucket. The park is part of an expansion project for Irricana and Butler said she is hopeful a new playground will be built next to the splash park. “We’re looking forward to expanding the area,” she said. “It’s a central location, so given we’re developing our southwest area, it’s a great opportunity to start expanding and start adding some more recreational opportunities.” The splash park cost $165,193, and was funded by Alberta’s Municipal Sustainability Initiative. Butler said the Town is going through a grant process to receive funding for the potential playground. She added the splash park is another reason for families to want to be in Irricana. The old splash park often saw residents from nearby Beiseker flocking to Irricana, she said, and she has no doubt the new park will be a draw for more families in the future. “Now, driving by, it’s really nice to see everyone using it. It’s been busy since (opening),” she said. The splash park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will remain open throughout the summer. No specific closure date has been set for the splash park this season. - With files from Joel Dryden
