Sundre now has a new outdoor gathering place to enjoy anything from picnics to weddings or family reunions and everything else in between.
Dozens of people attended the official grand opening of the Greenwood Community Gazebo on Tuesday, June 25.
A few relatively minor finishing touches remain, including some landscaping features and mounting numerous plaques recognizing everyone who contributed to making the project a reality. However, the gazebo itself, which is adorned with several wood-carved black bears, hanging flower baskets, and surrounded by a couple of fire pits, is now available to the public.
One of several wood carved black bears, which were created by Cochrane artisan Brian Widahl, peeks into the gazebo.
Just before the ribbon cutting, mayor Terry Leslie said the gazebo, like so many of the valuable amenities in town, began with a conversation. Along the way, the vision inspired plenty of volunteers and philanthropists to pitch in on the project, he said, praising a “community spirit we can all be so very proud of.”
While the municipality had allocated about $10,000, the cost of the roughly $123,000 project was borne largely by donated labour and material in the amount of about $91,500. The remaining roughly $31,500 was covered by grants as well as donated funding, he said.
The mayor also expressed gratitude to the members of the Greenwood family who attended, and recalled the impact Russ Greenwood, who the campground is named after, had on the community.
“This is awesome what they’ve done here. The community’s really pulled together,” said Russell Peterson, who came out with his brother Carl, during a conversation before the ribbon cutting. Their grandmother was Russ Greenwood’s sister.
Several dozen people attended the gazebo’s ribbon cutting ceremony, which included a barbecue and some marshmallows for fires that were burning in brand new artisanal steel ring pits. Simon Ducatel/MVP Staff
Brian Widahl, the wood carver from Cochrane who created the black bears, said he was “thrilled to be a part of this.”
Moe Fahey, the project’s volunteer lead coordinator, seemed pleased by the finished work.
“It’s just lovely,” she said.
“It all came together really well.”
The project adds another notch on Sundre’s lengthy list of legacy endeavours made possible thanks to volunteer efforts, including but not limited to the Sundre Arts Centre, the Sundre Skate Park, the Sundre Aquaplex, and the new playground at River Valley School, said Leslie.
“This gazebo is filled with the talents of who we were, who we are, where we live, and it stands as an invitation to all who will come to Sundre to enjoy our hospitality and our backyard playground for generations to come,” he said.
Two artisanal steel fire pits surrounded by benches were included near the gazebo, which stands completed in the background. Simon Ducatel/MVP Staff
