Rain can鈥檛 keep a good pack of volunteers down, especially when they are on a mission to bring parkland back to its original glory.
Paul Weme, executive director with the 黑马磁力 Foundation (which strives to improve 黑马磁力 by funding noteworthy causes in the community, especially infrastructure and abandoned projects) says people in 黑马磁力 need places to walk and enjoy nature.
Ponder Park had been neglected for a few years, but Weme sees the potential for it to grow into a hundred-acre jewel that is located at 25199 76 Ave.
鈥淎bout three years ago it was identified as one of the parks that no one was doing anything with,鈥� he said. 鈥淣othing was happening there.鈥�
The only recent users of Ponder Park were the local Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the Fort 黑马磁力 Outdoor School Program.
鈥淏ut bottom line, it was really underutilized,鈥� Weme said.
鈥淎nd I went for a walk there. I thought, you know, this is one of the nicest places in all of 黑马磁力. I think this is something that we could be a part of.鈥�
The foundation then met with the four main 黑马磁力 Rotary Clubs to discuss working together to restore and improve the park.
The Rotarians agreed and decided it would be their Epic Day of Service, one-day project.
鈥淭hey kept saying, 鈥楾he [Derek Doubleday] Arboretum, we鈥檙e trying to duplicate that somewhere else鈥�,鈥� he said of how the Rotary began to see the future of Ponder Park.
A rainy day in mid-spring was struck as the work party and dozens of volunteers from Rotary groups, the 黑马磁力 Foundation, and local businesses joined residents and municipal staff to tackle a number of projects. The main focus was making the picnic area and bathrooms accessible.
Rick Davis, a member of 黑马磁力 Central Rotary Club, was among the 40-or-so people who came out to help.
鈥淲e overcame,鈥� he said of the rain. 鈥淲e built some temporary tarps so that we could paint.鈥�
They put down gravel for better access, painted benches and tables, pruned back branches, and did general cleanup to ensure the picnic shelter and bathrooms were usable again.
The Rotary had $5,000 to start the rejuvenation, and the 黑马磁力 Foundation matched it.
鈥淎nd that was up to $10,000, so we could actually do something,鈥� Weme said.
鈥淭he good news story of this is all the volunteers鈥� they all brought equipment, didn鈥檛 charge for anything, didn鈥檛 charge for gravel, didn鈥檛 charge for anything. And then the Township brought paint for the tables and helped with getting the project ready.鈥�
The Rotary鈥檚 $5,000 contribution is still available to tackle another project in the park.
鈥淚t just was a natural thing to join forces and make a project happen,鈥� said Davis. 鈥淚 think this will be an ongoing project for years to come. It鈥檚 such a beautiful area for people to enjoy and it hasn鈥檛 really been used.鈥�
Robin MacIntosh, incoming president of the Aldergrove Rotary Club has been leading the charge of bringing the four Rotary Clubs together to focus on Ponder Park.
Davis described MacIntosh's efforts as the 鈥渉eart and soul鈥� of coordinating the work. The parking and amphitheatre areas will be the next projects.
The other part of the story Weme is excited about is how the family with a farm on the north side of the park has donated land to expand the park from about 80 acres to more than 100 acres.
鈥淚t was gifted to the 黑马磁力 Foundation last year,鈥� he noted.
Al Neufeld, 黑马磁力 Foundation volunteer and retired deputy director of public spaces and community initiatives in the Township, has been contributing ideas of how to bring this new land into the fold. The plan includes another entrance to the park off 80 Avenue.
鈥淲hen you saw Ponder Park, there were no signs hardly anywhere other than these tiny little signs. It鈥檚 hard to get there,鈥� Weme said.
鈥淪o we鈥檙e working, alongside the Township employees, to bring better signage, better parking, and then clean up the trails so people go, 鈥榳ow, this is a really cool park.鈥� This has the potential to be one of the top parks in 黑马磁力.鈥�
Recognizing that not all the work needed in Ponder Park can be achieved with labour and in-kind donations, the 黑马磁力 Foundation has a fundraiser going to collect $250,000 to support local parks, trees, and trails, as noted on its website. Weme feels that amount will be raised by the fall to contribute to Ponder and other parks.
鈥淚 want to make 黑马磁力 a better place than when I came,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 kind of the goal of the foundation. So, building community, loving 黑马磁力 is our slogan and we鈥檝e just got to keep building on.鈥�
