INNISFAIL – It was a cold, grey and blustery morning on Sept. 16 but there was still plenty of feel-good warmth going around for the town to officially salute project sponsors for their contributions to the new million-dollar skatepark.
With the COVID-19 pandemic causing scores of delays with public events, the Town of Innisfail was not able to hold an official celebratory opening for the new project, which hosted its first users almost a year ago.
However, the sponsor recognition ceremony on Sept. 16 came close.
Meghan Jenkins, the town’s manager of community planning and sustainability, organized the short but heartfelt event and was happy with the turnout, which included local town councillors Danny Rieberger and Don Harrison, Red Deer County Division 3 Coun. Dana DePalme, Larry Novak from the Innisfail Lions Club, Stan Orlesky from FortisAlberta, and Russ Klemmer, Andy Sweetman, Doug Tiedeman, Alistair Loughlin, Dennis Blackburn and Shaun Fay, who all came to represent the Innisfail Kinsmen and the Kinette Club of Innisfail.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t have our big grand opening celebration we hoped to have back in June but I am glad we could have all the sponsors out to recognize the contributions made to this facility,” said Jenkins, adding the area’s Antler Hill Welding Services also created the skatepark’s metal sponsor signs, along with the custom picnic tables and benches around the facility.
Red Deer County contributed $283,800 towards the new skatepark and Innisfail Horseshoe Court. The Kinsmen and Kinettes, the lead local fundraisers for the project, collected about $37,000 and the Lions club added another $25,000. The town also received a corporate donation of $2,500 from FortisAlberta towards the planting of trees and shrubs at the facility.
Klemmer, the secretary for the local Kinsmen club, said he was “absolutely blown away” with the way the project turned out. He said he regularly sees many young people and adults using and enjoying the skatepark.
“And that was what it was meant for in the beginning, and we are happy to see it being used that way,” said Klemmer.
Rieberger said the facility has already become a “great” gathering place, which will be continually developed and soon see more of a picnic area created around it.
“It’s great to have it open now for almost a year. It’s a great project,” he said. “We are getting people from all over to use it and it’s a real draw for the community.”
