GRAND OPENING: Splash Pad at Otterville Park

GRAND OPENING: Splash Pad at Otterville Park

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

Otterville opening

Group effort brings splash pad project to fruition

OTTERVILLE, ON - They say it takes a village to raise a child. In Otterville, it took a village to raise funds for a new splash pad, sure to keep local toddlers this summer.

Two years ago, the old wading pool next to the public pool at Otterville Park was unusable and an eyesore. Today, it has been replaced by a fun splash pad with interactive water features, which opened to the public June 20th.

All hands were on deck to raise the $70,000 required to bring the project to fruition. After receiving a Trillium Foundation grant for $30,000, local organizations such as the Otterville Optimist Club, Norwich Township, Friends of Otterville Park and Otterville fire fighters, raised the remaining funds by hosting several successful fundraisers (including the fire fighters’ wing ding event which drew in over 500 people).

“The community really came together to support this project and people are really happy to see it,” said Don Pite, member of the Otterville Optimist Club. “During the grand opening, they turned the water features on and 10 to 12 little ones ran right in the water to play.”

Surrounding the splash pad are paving stones with names of the clubs who contributed etched directly in the stone. Additional stones were sold for $100, which included the donors name engraved and set into the ground. Other additions to the area include landscaping and several benches, two of which have memorial plaques dedicated to two young local girls Ainsley Swance and Abbygale Fleet, who passed away in separate car accidents.

Play! by Crozier, a division of Crozier Enterprises, was thrilled to supply the village of Otterville with Water Odyssey’s fun aquatic features. Cost-effective Aqua Spouts (like Beatrice Butterfly pictured above) are low level features that offer a variety of gentle water effects. Little ones love playing on and around these brightly themed spouts.

Otterville opening2