The Beaver Creek Community Hall celebrated its 70th birthday last weekend with the grand opening of a new park and playground.
An official ribbon cutting for “Creekers Corner” took place on Sunday, May 5 before the hall’s annual Spring Fling and Growing Things craft fair. The birthday party featured plenty of fun, with vendors, baked goods, kids’ activities, pony rides, a petting zoo and even chicken poop bingo.
Through it all, children climbed on the new, barnyard-themed playground that sits outside of the hall, located at 8505 Beaver Creek Road.
“Two years ago we decided that our playground really wasn’t up to snuff. It wasn’t safe,” said Kirk McGiffin of the Beaver Creek Community Club. “Mike Kokura got a hold of us and said there was some gas tax money and Nicole [Steinbach] put a proposal together.”
Steinbach spearheaded the project to replace the aging park, which was made up of a rusted swingset and slide. The grounds were also in poor shape, due to flooding and off-road vehicles frequently tearing through the park.
“We started with the fence,” Steinbach explained.
The project has taken a little more than two years from funding to finish. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District’s gas tax fund provided $50,000, but the club also received funds and volunteer work from a number of other community organizations. After two years of hard work, the club has a new playground, complete with tunnel slide and barn-themed playhouse.
READ: Beaver Creek club begins work on new playground
“We had this vision of a barn theme,” Steinbach said. “And then we just kept adding.”
The club hosted an online contest earlier this year to name the new park. Crystal Laing was the winner, with her proposal for “Creekers Corner.” A wooden sign proclaiming the park’s new name, designed by Island Signs and Caya Signs, was unveiled before the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sunday.
But the work isn’t finished at Creekers Corner. Club members still have plans to put a roof over the new playground to protect it from the elements. The basketball court will also be resurfaced using rubber from recycled tires, thanks to a grant from Tire Stewardship BC, and there are hopes to put up a gazebo in the coming months.
The Beaver Creek Community Hall is open for new membership, which costs only $10 a year. The hall hosts regular family events, dances and dinners. A Mother’s Day-themed potluck is scheduled for Saturday, May 11 at 6 p.m.
elena.rardon@albernivalleynews.com
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