Trust funds upgrades for a better place to play
Volunteers built the sports facilities in Edgewater 20 years ago, and it will be volunteers doing a lot of the work to make improvements to the community park this year. The Edgewater community park project will see major upgrades to the outdoor Frank Schnider Memorial Rink that will also benefit the adjacent Wittman Field ball diamond.
The facilities will offer a place to play ball, skate and store equipment. A new building at the sports field will have a public washroom, concession and storage area for equipment, and the ice rink surface will be rebuilt with a concrete slab replacing the current clay surface.
“These upgrades provide residents of Edgewater with a better, safer and more versatile outdoor sports facility, and that’s great news for everyone in the community. There’s a tremendous volunteer commitment to make this happen, and we’re pleased to see residents and the RDEK working together to improve their park,” said Wayne Lundeberg, Columbia Basin Trust Director, Delivery of Benefits.
The Edgewater Recreation Society has been planning and fundraising for the past few years to get the project going.
“The building will also house the Zamboni that was graciously donated from Canal Flats as it must be stored in a heated place. The washrooms will be year round and will be a great asset for all activities that take place at the ball diamond or the skating rink. As soon as the permits are in place, construction will begin. We are hoping to complete everything by spring/summer of 2018,” said Nicole Baes, Recreation Society chair.
“The skating rink has been an essential recreational facility in Edgewater. During the winter, residents, local schools, skaters and after-school hockey players use the rink extensively. Building an engineered base with a concrete surface for the rink will significantly improve the maintenance and quality of the ice. The concrete surface will also be beneficial during the summer months with the addition of basketball hoops, making it a year-round facility,” said Gerry Wilkie, RDEK Area G Director.
The Trust is providing $153,000 to the project. The Recreation Society and the RDEK are providing funding as well as substantial in-kind contributions.
