Residents of the Lakes subdivision put on an exemplary display of community spirit this weekend when they got together to undertake a neighbourhood improvement project. Lacking a greenspace of any significant size, friends and neighbours got together to build a park.
The initiative got started three years ago when the Lakes Community Association (LCA) organized and identified the need for a space for kids to play or for families to go for a picnic.
“We started talking to the District of Lake Country about the project and they were supportive and willing to help out,” says LCA president Colin O’Leary.
The neighbourhood didn’t have copious amounts of cash to spend but it did have volunteers who were willing to lend a hand.
“There are a lot of builders in the neighborhood,” explains O’Leary, “and together we were able to do a lot of the rough grading for the park. We actually removed 150 dump truck loads of dirt from the site all through volunteer efforts.”
The District of Lake Country then provided topsoil to lay over the sight and on Saturday morning the community came out in force to lay sod acquired through the District from EcoTurf Farms and plant shrubs discounted by ILR and Bowman nurseries.
The job was expected to be completed over the course of Saturday and Sunday but the volunteer turnout was so great that everything had been finished by noon on Saturday. The group celebrated their accomplishment with a free pizza lunch provided by Little Caesars.
“The community is extremely excited,” says O’Leary. “There are people driving up nonstop just to look at the park. It’s an awesome sense of community spirit, we’re just so happy to see some green space.”
The LCA has three more phases planned for the park that will see the installation of playground equipment and a small amphitheatre.
Residents are asked to keep off the grass for six weeks to give the sod a chance to take root. The District of Lake Country will host a grand opening at the park when it is ready for use.