Families looking to beat the summer heat with the help of a little outdoor water fun are finding themselves disappointed with Cochrane’s claim to splash park fame. The town’s splash park, as part of the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre (SLSFSC) aquatic centre addition that opened last summer, has left Cochrane families feeling cash-strapped, confined and a little crispy - given the lack of shade and seating available. Jordan Shiell, father of two and Willows resident, is one resident disappointed with the park and wondering why Cochrane is the only town that comes to mind where users have to pay to play. Shiell conducted a Facebook poll to gauge public opinion on the concrete park – which revealed 347 people did not plan to use the splash park this summer, versus 30 people who did plan to (as of the morning of July 11). Much to his surprise, an overwhelming number of poll participants felt much the same as him – that the splash park was “a big waste of money” to build, where patrons can’t push past the cost to use a splash park when they can drive to nearby Calgary or Airdrie and splash for free. “I wasn’t expecting a response like that,” Shiell said with a laugh. “It goes to show you how much of a fail it is ... people are willing to leave Cochrane to find a (free) park.” Comments on the social media feed were mostly negative, with people questioning why towns a fraction of Cochrane’s size have functional and free splash parks, usually situated in grassy parks where families can set up shop for the day and picnic. Christine Dikau, mother of two, is an avid pool user but is not a fan of the attached splash park – which can only be accessed from inside the SLSFSC pool and is fenced street-side. “They need a spot for you to relax and bring snacks ... a spot with trees (for shade). We would love for the town to make it accessible for all and to not have to go through the pool to access it,” said Dikau, giving a nod to parks in Okotoks and Airdrie, which are free and use-at-own-risk. Mayor Jeff Genung has heard the growing sentiment among families disappointed with the splash park and is wondering if there may be a future opportunity to build a splash park in a more central area of town – possibly even dismantling the existing park and re-using features to build a new one. “The model SLSFSC operates under doesn’t really facilitate what the public seems to be asking for,” said Genung. “I see something like a splash park being built on one of the tri-site lands we’re looking at right now.” The town is conducting a feasibility study on three sites this summer - the former pool site and adjacent Lions rodeo park on Fifth Ave, the library and the former Esso Bulk Station site across from it - to examine how these sites could best be used as public services in the future. Possibilities include a central seniors centre, an expanded library and a bigger youth centre. Genung feels that something like a splash park could work well as part of a gateway feature at the Esso Bulk Station site and is looking to the public for further input. The splash park was included in the total SLSFSC aquatic/curling centre addition which came in over budget, at around $49 million. The cost of the spray features was $250,000, which does not include the costs of the pad, piping, filtering or fencing. Initially $125,000 was included in the budget to complete the facility, but last year’s council gave the go-ahead to the additional $125,000 in order to get the project finished last summer and for the splash park to open in conjunction with the pool. The 2018 operations budget from the town to the SLSFSC is $625,000.
