Henry Morgan may have been a bloodthirsty pirate and privateer, but officials with the province and the regional district, along with members of the Bowser community got a chance to see his softer side on Friday.
That’s when MLA Ron Cantelon, RDN chair Joe Stanhope and Area H director Bill Veenhof turned the sod to officially begin the construction of Henry Morgan Community Park.
The projected cost for the half-acre park is $185,000, of which $100,000 came from the Area H community parks budget reserves and $85,000 came from the province.
The park is located within walking and biking distance of Bowser, which makes it ideal for area residents, said Veenhof.
“It’s about connection,” Veenhof said. “It connects residents here with downtown Bowser and makes it safer to go to Bowser. It’s another avenue to walk and stay healthy.”
Cantelon said the park will be a valuable asset to the area.
“These community parks are extremely important to be a centre of the community,” he said. “We put aside $30 million to respond to what people want and this is a part of that. This is going to be a great park.”
The facility will include a BMX track, playhouse, basketball hoops, a hill slide, a live willow tunnel and a system of trails. Veenhof said he expects the park to be completed within two months.
