To the Martensville Lions club, celebrating their 40th anniversary meant giving back to the community. They very graciously designed and built a gazebo in the Lion’s Park, providing shade for families during the summer.
“There was a little gazebo here, and it didn’t give off much shade. So when families came to play at the park or the spray park on hot days, the only shade was in the corner, under the tree.” Geoff Passy, Lions Club President, said. “So we thought we could help provide them with some environmental protection.”
The gazebo is 18 by 36 feet, with a two foot overhang, located in between the spray park and playground, giving families not only enough shade, but a good view of both areas. So far, the feedback has been nothing but positive.
“There haven’t been many sunny days, but I’ve gotten a lot of really good feedback. People are saying that it’s great, and that it’s a great addition to the park,” added Passy.
The idea for the shelter began in January, when Maria Fowler pointed out how many people got sunburnt at the park. Chad Ward, whose father is Doug Ward, a member of the Lions Club, and his team began looking at designs and creating a budget.
“We went out to Hague to look at other structures. They had one that was perfect, exactly what we were looking for. We just had to modify it to suit our needs. We got that started thanks to Chad and his crew. They went out, got the prices for lumber and everything else, and did the labor for us.” Passy stated.
They began building the structure at the end of June, but due to bad weather, the process took longer than expected. “There’s not much left to do, just finishing the roof, staining, waterproofing and adding power,” said Fowler. “We’re going to close up the roof inside, so birds and such don’t get in and fly around in here and then the city will run power here next year, so we’ll have lights to make it usable in the evenings.”
The Lion’s would like to thank the community, and everyone involved in making this project possible. They hope that families and teams will make good use of the gazebo, and that it provides some shade and shelter from the elements. “In the end, our goal is to help improve our community any way that we can,” Passy and Fowler both stated in agreeance.
