Beat the Heat pop-up spray parks have become increasingly popular in Red Deer with every passing year.
Just over halfway through the pop-up spray park season, with four more remaining on the calendar, Red Deer Emergency Services assistant deputy chief Curtis Schaefer says this is the best year yet for the weekly event.
“Attendance has been really strong this year,” he said on Thursday, ahead of a pop-up spray park in the Rosedale Meadows neighbourhood on Thursday.
“We’ve been doing these pop-up spray parks for a few years now and the community has really embraced it. We really see the engagement when we go to the different (neighbourhoods). We try each year to pick different places throughout the city so we can spread it around.”
The spray parks are presented by Red Deer Emergency Services, Red Deer RCMP and Municipal Enforcement, to help people keep cool every Thursday in July and August.
The last couple of years, the spray parks have been held in conjunction with the City of Red Deer’s Meet Me at the Park, which is a program that offers informal and unstructured recreational opportunities that support physical activity, creativity and social connection.
“It’s a really great feeling (seeing how successful the spray parks have become). As emergency services, we pride ourselves on being part of the community. It’s awesome seeing everyone come together and enjoy the nice weather at the summertime and having some fun in the park,” said Schaefer.
“This is a way to engage with the community and give people a reason to get to know each other – if people are new to the neighbourhood or they’ve been in the neighbourhood for a long time and haven’t met the new people. It’s a time for friends to see each other, especially on the summer holidays as schools are closed.”
So far this year, pop-up spray parks have been held at Escuela Vista Grande School, St. Theresa of Avila School and Mountview School. There was going to be one at Fairview School on July 27, but it was cancelled due to cold and rainy weather.
There will be pop-up spray parks at the Bower Kin Community Centre on Aug. 10, Highland Green Park on Aug. 17, Ironstone Neighbourhood Park on Aug. 24 and Ecole Oriole Park School on Aug. 31.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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