It will now be easier for residents to dance the two-step or a waltz in Crescent Park after a concrete pad was poured in front of the amphitheatre.
The installation of the new dance floor is courtesy of the Crescent Park Foundation, a non-profit organization that funds capital projects in that area. Other projects the foundation has pursued over the years include the creation of stone entranceways, tree carvings, and the installation of wheelchair accessible ramps on Fairford Street.
Many people — especially seniors — have asked for a dance pad to be installed for about the last six years, explained foundation president George Patterson. The Wednesday night concerts in Crescent Park in the spring and summer are popular with older residents, especially those in wheelchairs. A new space would allow those residents to park their wheelchairs directly in front of the stage.
It has not been that easy for residents to dance in the amphitheatre bowl, he continued, since it is mostly grassy and sloped.
The foundation decided last fall to fundraise for a new concrete pad. With the help of a grant from the municipality, plus donations from the community, the foundation raised about $17,000. Patterson was thankful to those groups since the project would never have happened without their support.
The pouring and installation took place on July 25.
“It looks very good,” Patterson said. “We’re quite pleased with how things are going.”
The concrete pad isn’t large, but it suits the needs of the community, he added, pointing out concrete is expensive.
This initiative is the first half of a two-part project. The next goal is to upgrade the bathrooms at the amphitheatre so they are wheelchair accessible. The washrooms haven’t been enhanced for at least a couple of decades.
The Crescent Park Foundation would not have been able to pursue this initiative if it weren’t for a generous donation from the Moose Jaw Co-op, Patterson said. Upgrading the bathrooms — including installing new doors — is going to cost $20,000 to $25,000.
The foundation hopes to finish this part of the project by the late fall.
