Oak Lake Beach Playground culmination of eight-year effort
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Free Press subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $20.00 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.00 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 14/07/2018 (2745 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Eight years of hard work has led to the grand opening of the Oak Lake Beach Playground today.
Although the playground’s two structures were built a few years ago — one was finished in 2014, the other in 2016 — the finishing touch has been put on the project.
A sign reading Oak Lake Beach Playground has recently been erected at the site. It is held up by bricks featuring the names of those who helped support the project.
Today’s grand opening will join the brick effort in recognizing the work of the community and donors who made the structures a reality.
“There are a lot of children out here, so the playground is very well used,” said Mary Robertson, a member of the Oak Lake Beach Playground Committee. “We’ve heard comments that it’s one of the best in southwestern Manitoba.”
Both of the play structures offer something exciting for children to enjoy, with a tunnel and a slide featured on one and monkey bars serving as a centrepiece to the other.
Seven members are on the committee, including Pat Cochrane, Karla Davidson, Erin Draper, Bev Karnes, Lesley Moffitt, Shirley Thompson and Robertson. Five members are grandmothers while two are young mothers.
Robertson said her grandchildren served as motivation for her to help out with the project.
“They would enjoy using it,” she said.
More than $200,000 has been raised for the playground over the past eight years, starting with a $2,000 donation from Enbridge in 2011.
Many supporters have stepped up since then. Robertson said government grants have helped, alongside some good old-fashioned community fundraisers.
“We have had bake sales (and) cookbook sales, then we started in having barbecues and raffles and auctions,” Robertson said.
The committee received various items for auctions held over the August long weekend the past four years, including the the likes of Winnipeg Jets tickets and an iPhone.
“We’ve had fantastic support from people in the area, some of them cottage owners, some of them not,” Robertson said.
After eight years, Robertson said that all that hard work is worth it when she sees the children who are using the play structures.
“It’s been quite an adventure,” she said.
» mverge@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @Melverge5