Seaforth Splash Pad

Later this summer, the community of Seaforth hopes to welcome the world to its new splash pad - a truly collaborative effort between the residents and the local business community.

When planning for the project began several months ago, the goal was always to have the splash pad open and operational by the end of June.

Dean Wood of Envira-North Systems Limited is spearheading the project, which began to take shape in the later summer months of 2021. Wood said his company wanted to take the lead on a large project in the community, similar to when it aided a daycare in the town, though that was before Wood’s time.

Wood said he approached Luke Janmaat of Progressive Turf in Seaforth about the idea and he was immediately supportive. Envira-North and Progressive Turf aimed to take the lead on creating a splash pad and contributed $30,000 and $25,000 respectively to the project right off the bat to show their commitment to the $350,000 endeavour.

A splash pad just made sense for the community, Wood said, looking at the existing infrastructure and in speaking with residents. Wood, who is himself a parent, said he has often had to drive to other communities for the use of a splash pad with his children, so he personally felt it was a good fit for Seaforth, in addition to what he was hearing from the residents. Because of the infrastructure in place at the Seaforth Lions Park, the pair approached the club for a partnership on the project and soon enough they were all working together.

So, when Envira-North and Progressive Turf donated large sums of money to kick off the campaign, Wood said he and Janmaat were hoping to bring the rest of the Seaforth business community along, in addition to showing the amount of commitment involved for such a high-cost project.

Wood and Janmaat began making calls and most businesses in town have jumped aboard, contributing money and/or services and encour-aging residents and employees to do the same, often creating matching donation campaigns or other creative forms of fundraising to infuse money into the project.

Jenny Richie of Jenny Richie Artistry, for example, started a regular Facebook auction with several of Seaforth’s main street businesses to raise money for the project, while those at Total Image II have been recognizing donors with water droplet stickers on the salon’s windows and also matching donations.

The Seaforth Centenaires donated $1,500 from their Easter egg hunt and breakfast towards the project, while Larry Dolmage donated $1,000 from his annual Big Buck Show, which was held in Brussels earlier this year.

Wood also said a number of other businesses have donated both money and services to help the project. With a final fundraising goal of $350,000, Wood said the group is well on its way, with progress being tracked via a thermometer stationed on the town’s main street 42971 Huron Rd., Seaforth. 

The park can be found at Seaforth Lions Park, 42971 Huron Rd, Seaforth