Make a SPLASH at Millennium Ponds grand opening!
By Kyra Hoggan
Woo hoo! It’s the day we’ve all been waiting for – the Millennium Park Natural Swimming Ponds grand opening celebration is slated for Aug. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a massive SPLASH party to which everyone is invited.
The $1.6-million project has been a couple of years in the making (sped somewhat by $400,000 from the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development), but councilor and chair of council’s Public Works committee Dan Rye said it will be well worth the wait.
“The whole Millennium Park area, I believe, is going to be the keystone feature For Castlegar, and there’s going to be a whole lot of people coming to the area because of it,” he said, adding there are other attractions being highlighted, such as the Rotary Outdoor Gym, the new competitive bike area, a concession stand for which they should break ground this summer, and more.
The party will include a plaque unveiling ceremony at 11:30 a.m., food vendors, hundreds of rubber duckies in the kiddie pool, kids games, Castlegar SPLASH beach balls, and more (bring your own lawn chair and towel, please).
Mayor Lawrence Chernoff said the completed project is a testament to the hard work of everyone, especially city staff, in seeing a grand vision through to fruition.
“What it brings to the community is unbelievable,” he said. “It’s really spectacular – not so much the jewel in Castlegar’s crown, as it is the whole crown.”
Both Rye and Chernoff agree the feature will not only draw residents, but will also serve as a tourist attraction to enhance economic activity and boost other local business.
The Upper Pond (at the highest elevation) is designed for families and children, with a depth of .7 metres, and roughly 40 metres by 25 metres in size. The Mid Pool is better suited for teens and adults, with a depth of 1.6 metres (75 metres by 40 metres) and a waterslide that empties into the Lower Pool (closest to the Columbia River) which will be 3.6 metres deep and 80 metres by 45 metres in size.
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