Trees were cleared at Radley Beach earlier this past week to make way for the new splash park. Village of Burns Lake chief administrative officer, Sheryl Worthing, says the trees were rotting and old, and potentially hazardous to beach visitors.
“Last year, one of the trees came down onto one of the docks, which could have seriously injured someone. As well, we were receiving complaints from residents that the branches were breaking off and causing a hazard for people enjoying the area,” said Worthing in an email to Lakes District News.
The Burns Lake splash park was given the go ahead by council back in February. It originally started out as a splash park and ice rink project idea back in 2018 which was then dropped in April 2018, and picked up a year later in April 2019. It then morphed into a splash park and new playground project—along with some additional landscaping and an equipment upgrade for better sound during performances there.
The ice rink was dropped because of the high cost, Lakes District News reported Jan. 22 of this year according to a village report.
As it stands now, the work on the project should start in two weeks, and the completion date should be July 1, 2020, if all goes well, said Worthing—though she added complications from COVID-19 may cause delays.
The splash park contractor has already been selected. Playquest is the company that will do the work. While their main office is based in Edmonton, they build and repair splash parks and playgrounds Canada-wide, according to their website.
The village will also work with an arborist and a landscape architect to put in new trees now that some of the old ones have been taken out. They’re working with these professionals to help ensure the right kinds of new trees are put in, said Worthing. The landscape architect was selected by Playquest.
The Radley Beach playground was built 18 years ago, and may not be in line with modern safety regulations. But is exempt from those to some extent because it was built before they came into existence, according to a village report quoted by Lakes District Newsin a February story.
Repairs need to be done on the stairs, the slide, and wood chips around the playground filled in, said the report.
Council has decided to use $400,000 from a provincial grant to pay for the construction of a splash park. The playground installation is estimated to cost between $150,000 and $200,000 while landscaping in the beach area would cost about $10,000.