The Mapleton Splash Pad will come to fruition in 2018, thanks to a capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).
The Drayton Kinette and Rotary Clubs were successful in securing $150,000 from the OTF in order to purchase and install splash pad equipment.
The announcement comes after more than three years of fundraising and hard work by the Mapleton Splash Pad Committee.
“This is great News for the nearly 2,000 children under 10 who live in Mapleton,” states a press release from the committee.
“Currently families must leave the municipality in order to enjoy a splash pad. By having one in Drayton the committee looks forward to not only keeping residents in town, but also drawing visitors from nearby.”
“Children and families in Mapleton will get good use out of this splash pad,” said Perth-Wellington MPP Randy Pettapiece.
“By now, we have to believe summer is just around the corner.”
Pettapiece added, “I want to congratulate the Kinette Club of Drayton and the Rotary Club of Drayton. Your work is making a big difference in the life of the community.”
Preparation at the ABC Park, where the pad will be installed, is set to start in May and should be completed this summer, organizers note. Once functioning, the splash pad will operate on a timer, spraying water only when activated by users.
“The splash pad committee wishes to thank everyone who has contributed to their fundraising efforts. Without the amazing support of the community, even this funding would not be enough to bring the splash pad to realization,” organizers state.
An agency of the Ontario government, the Ontario Trillium Foundation is one of Canada’s largest granting foundations. With a budget of over $136 million, it awards grants to some 1,000 projects every year.
