The Rotary Adventure Park at Little Red is now fully funded.
The Rotary Club of Prince Albert handed over a $100,000 cheque to the city on Wednesday, the club’s last portion of its funding commitment.
That’s according to Keith Fonstad, chair of the centennial project.
“You know that there’s an excitement there and that’s just what we wanted to do, was be able to bring families together and get the kids an opportunity to have that level of play,” he said.
The Rotary Adventure Park is designed for children between the ages of eight and 14. It will include a climbing centre, challenge area, elevated slides and zip lines, according to a news release.
The area is designed for all ages, though, with walking trails, picnic sites and swings.
Fonstad said the Rotary Club committed $520,000 to the project. Of that money, $200,000 came directly from the club through fundraising events and the rest from grants, sponsorships and donations.
In total, the park costs $1.2 million.
“It’s been a fair process for us to get to this stage,” said Fonstad.
The club first pitched the idea to the city in 2018. After receiving building approval in 2020, the Rotary Club had to shift to virtual fundraising events during the pandemic.
It’s now set to open in mid-July.
Mayor Greg Dionne said the city is planning on doing a two-month trial for bus service out to Little Red. Another trial will likely take place in the winter, he said.
“They keep taking on big projects. This Rotary Park is really going to help showcase one of our jewels, is the Little Red,” said Dionne.
“I can’t wait to hear what their next project is.”
Fonstad said the club’s 50/50 Lobsterfest jackpot is raising money to replace two roofs on shelters at Little Red, one at the bottom of the ski hill and the other at the Cosmo Lodge.
“They’re all going to have a metal roof. It will be green, just like the Cosmo Lodge. It will just provide a nice asthetic feel to the park,” he said.
The picnic shelter at the Rotary Adventure Park will also have the same metal roof.
Tickets for the 50/50 are available until 9 p.m. on Saturday. As of Wednesday afternoon, the jackpot was over $7,600.
