City and provincial politicians announced a new spray park in Maple Ridge Park on Monday morning, and as the noon sun grew hot, they took off their shoes and socks to play in the water at the old one.
The new water feature will cost more than $1.9 million, and will replace the current spray park that is almost 20 years old, having been installed in 2005. The city said a new park will replace it to meet modern standards of accessibility and sustainability.
The spay park will include a slide, large soaker bucket, water table, spray cannons, dripping shelter, lounge chair seating, and shade umbrellas. Advanced water spray features and a cooling mist area will operate efficiently, including during water restrictions.
“We are excited to move forward with building this new spray park in Maple Ridge Park, one of our community’s most popular outdoor destinations,” said Mayor Dan Ruimy. “We are grateful for the support from the Growing Communities Fund to help meet the needs of our growing community and create a safe, fun, and inclusive space for families to come together and build lasting memories.”
Maple Ridge was given a $16.6 million share of the province's Growing Communities Fund in early 2023.
"Maple Ridge is an amazing place to raise a family. It’s great to partner with the City and provide this funding for spray park improvements to be enjoyed by our growing community,” said Lisa Beare, MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows.
In addition to the new playground and spray park, there are other improvements coming to Maple Ridge Park, which is located along the South Alouette River at 232 Street and 132 Avenue. Future improvements will include upgrades to parking lots, a new washroom and changeroom building, picnic shelters, and other amenities, further enhancing the park's appeal and accessibility.
The new spray park is scheduled to open in the spring of 2025.
