The four men who helped bring the Rotary Adventure Park project to life: (l to r) Tim Yeaman, Malcom Jenkins, Keith Fonstad, and Austin Atchison. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

By Logan Lehmann

Rotary Adventure Park

Construction of Rotary Adventure Park complete, parts of park to open Monday

Jul 28, 2023 | 5:20 PM

The long-awaited Rotary Adventure Park at Little Red is now complete.

It was announced on Friday that the construction is finished with parts of the park set to open on Monday.

A total of $1.2 million was invested into the park with the Rotary Club contributing $500,000, Malcolm Jenkins Family Foundation donating $400,000, and the City of Prince Albert giving $280,000 towards the project.

“We started this in 2018 with trying to pick an idea and got started in 2019,” explained past President of the Rotary Club and Chair of the Centennial Committee Keith Fonstad. “[The pandemic] gave us some time to do some fundraising but it definitely delayed this by at least a year for opening. Now that we’re here and gone through all that history, it’s fantastic and I can’t wait to see it full of kids.”

The new GSX: silo scrambler climber and nu edge climber at the park. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

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The park features something for all ages from a toddler area to an adult gym and American Ninja Warrior Course, and everything in between. The Rotary Adventure Park also features play structures specially designed for children with disabilities, something that Malcolm Jenkins said was a must when designing the park.

“It’s all about accessibility for kids who would normally sit and watch other kids in the park,” he said. “[At] this one, they can get involved just like the other kids.”

The new accessible rail rider, designed for children with physical disabilities. (Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

The Rotary Adventure Park features nine different play zones which are as follows:

Zone 1 – Passive Tot area with sand table, sand digger, spinner, and ride-on bumble bee.

Zone 2 – Children’s swing area featuring an oodle swing, 2 infant swings, and 2 young children swings.

Zone 3 – Hurricane Mega Towers: Hive and beltis skyway with hurricane mega-tower.

(Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

Zone 4 – Aguarius Webscape: Viper and Mobius Rock Climber Wall.

Zone 5- OTS Group Fit Structure: Adult Ninja Warrior Course.

Zone 6 – Accessible Rail Rider.

Zone 7 – Older children swings.

Zone 8 – GSX: Silo Scrambler Climber and Nu Edge Climber.

Zone 9 – Zip Lines.

(Logan Lehmann/paNOW staff)

“I’ve been involved with one or two parks around town and this has got to be the cream of the crop,” Jenkins explained. “We wanted to do something, we wanted to give back, and we have been for 33 years. We’ve been able to give back a little more every year – doing some pretty big, cool projects because we’ve grown the store and the customers keep coming back, the more they give us the more we’re able to support into things.

I’m retiring in October and this is sort of my farewell. It’s been a wonderful ride and so good to see sprinkled around town places where kids can enjoy themselves. I’m very very pleased and very proud.”

Little Red River Park itself has undergone major renovations as well including upgrades to the parking lot to allow for more cars as well as 400 metres of new paved pathways that connect the Rotary Adventure Park, Cosmo Lodge, and Toboggan Hill areas.

Construction in some areas of the park is still ongoing as a warm-up shelter is set to be completed by the end of August that can fit up to 22 people.

Plans are underway for year-round washrooms to be constructed at the park which is set to be finished by the end of September while a well-equipped camp kitchen is also being built next to the Adventure Park with a completion date to be announced.

The highly anticipated park is set to open its ziplines portion on Monday at 1:00 p.m.

—

loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @lloganlehmann