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Splash park will be welcome addition

Next summer is going to be “one to remember” in Alpena.

If all goes as projected, the Alpena Rotary Club — in cooperation with the city — will unveil Rotary Splash Park at Starlite Beach.

The project will encompass 2,000 square feet, have 14 different water features and will accommodate up to 132 children at a time. Plans are for it to be open from May through October, from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. The park will be featured between the existing pavilion and the Rotary Playground.

The park truly will be a celebration of “community,” as many of us will have helped raise the funds to make it happen. Cost of the park is projected at $430,000, with $205,000 of it coming from a Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant, $25,000 from the city and $200,000 from the Alpena Rotary Club.

To raise that $200,000, the club has held two Brew on the Bay fundraisers to date, with a third next spring. In addition the club has sought assistance from local foundations and, in the next round of funding, will seek a grant from the county’s youth and recreation fund.

Every dollar helps, and that is where all of us could soon get actively involved with individual contributions.

Club members are working in conjunction with the Community Foundation of Northeast Michigan to collect money for the effort. Right now the public can channel donations for the splash park through the Alpena Rotary Foundation Grant fund that is established with CFNEM.

While 2,000 square feet is a big area, already club members are contemplating additional features and expansions with more splash park phases down the road.

Yes, the splash park will be a great addition to an already popular destination spot of residents and guests.

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