Spray parks around Prince Albert are opening throughout the week, and many have already opened. (submitted photo/City of Prince Albert)
Spray Parks Opening

Spray parks opening in Prince Albert as heat wave rolls on

Jun 6, 2023 | 12:00 PM

With Prince Albert and much of the rest of the province fighting a sweltering heat wave, people are looking for all sorts of ways to find relief from the hot weather. The City of Prince Albert has some good news for those looking to cool off.

Spray parks around the city are either open already or set to do so very soon. The city set a goal of having them open by the week of June 5, and it appears as if they will reach that goal across the board.

“As of yesterday, West Hill, Miller Hill, Crescent Acres just off Diefenbaker Drive, and Lions Park, all those spray parks are up and running,” said Tim Yeaman, parks manager with the City of Prince Albert. “The one thing we’re waiting for with Lions Park on 13th Street West was just for the fencing to come down, but I believe that’s all coming down this morning.”

According to Yeaman, there are two other waterparks, Kinsmen Waterpark and Crescent Heights, waiting on repairs that they hope to have open later today or tomorrow. At the latest, he thinks Crescent Heights should be open by Friday.

“If all goes well,” he said, “all the water spray parks will be up and operating by the end of the day Friday, with a good portion of them already open.”

An early blast of summer heat arriving in May put the water parks front of mind for many residents. It wasn’t easy for the city to get them open in a hurry, however, as extreme weather made their jobs more difficult.

“City crews have been inundated and I appreciate the public’s patience with us,” said Yeaman. “I know not everything is up to snuff quite yet. We’ve had lots of rain, and then the heat drives the need to get these things up and operating sooner, but it also delays in things like grass-cutting.”

The timing is excellent. Until this morning, Prince Albert had been under a heat warning, and another such warning may be just around the corner. In the meantime, temperatures will sit in the mid to high 20s, which is well above average for early June.

“It gives the schools coming into their year end a little more of an opportunity to take their kids out for an afternoon and enjoy those spray parks,” Yeaman said.

Yeaman added the spray parks are destination places, and they give families something to do on hot, sunny days off.

rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP

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