Lacombe County celebrating grand openings for new rec areas

The public is invited out to three grand opening ceremonies for some new recreational areas. The three locations are Anderson Park (east side of Gull Lake), Mary & Cliff Soper Natural Area (east of the Blackfalds Bottle Depot on South Street), and Sandy Point Beach (west side of Gull Lake).

Reeve Paula Law said in a news release that each new location provides a different way to enjoy the outdoors.

“Whether it’s playing a game of disc golf, enjoying nature on some quiet trails, or soaking up the sun at the beach,” she said.

“We are so pleased to offer these areas to people of all ages and interests, so they can enjoy the outdoors in our beautiful county.”

The opening times and events are as follows:

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Anderson Park

Location: East side of Gull Lake, between Wilson’s Beach Estates and New Saratoga

When: August 18, 2017 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Anderson Park is aptly named after its donor, Jack Anderson, who requested the land be used for recreational and natural amenities for all ages. The space is 26 acres and features nature trails, pollinator gardens, an amphitheatre, a gazebo, disc golf course, playground, paleontology pit, basketball courts, musical instruments and volleyball courts.

Mary & Cliff Soper Natural Area

Location: East of the Blackfalds Bottle Depot on South Street / Township Road 394

When: August 18, 2017 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.

Mary and Cliff Soper donated the land for this site in early 2017. Cliff was a Lacombe County Councillor from 2001 until 2013 and had a love for the environment and creating natural areas for residents to enjoy. This area is approximately 25 acres and will remain in its natural state for passive recreational purposes. A parking area has been constructed for the natural area that leads to trails.

Sandy Point Beach

Location: West side of Gull Lake, follow the signs

When: August 23, 2017 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.

The public is welcomed to Sandy Point Beach with nearly 6.5 acres of lakeside area. The development concept for Sandy Point RV Resort required the developer and municipality to work closely together to provide public amenities that will be left for the County to maintain. The beach, parking lot and playground equipment were funded and constructed by the developers, but Lacombe County will continue the maintenance on them as well. Since its opening, Sandy Point Beach has seen upwards of 130 people per day, with a peak of 925 visitors on July 15.