Gazebo Grand a Big Success
The new gazebo at the playground was officially opened on a warm sunny Sunday afternoon (August 8) with Councillor Bryan Anderson on hand, along with area residents and others responsible for the construction.
Councillor Anderson assisted in the ribbon cutting with Blackburne Creek residents Guy and Eileen Luke and their granddaughter Makena. In his remarks right after the ribbon cutting, Councillor Anderson praised the work of the volunteers who made the gazebo a reality and also the community itself, calling Blackburne Creek one of the nicest areas around.
Guy and Eileen Luke were chosen to help with the ribbon cutting, because of the huge number of hours they contributed to the project. Their work ranged from managing the project on behalf of the community, to selecting building materials to re-landscaping the area. They were also involved in planning the grand opening and handing out cookies, watermelon and umbrellas to the kids on hand.
Funding for the gazebo comes from grants that homeowners' association has requested and received from the City of Edmonton and province of Alberta. Alberta Recycling has also provided a grant because recycled product was used for the roof.
The final cost for the gazebo, including the benches, landscaping and other costs will total around $104,000. Some money comes from the homeowners' association, but the vast majority is covered by the City and province. The project took over three years to complete, but the majority of that time was during the fundraising period.