Good clean fun in the sun
Q: I know the City of St. Catharines cleans swimming pools but do they clean splash pads, too? How?
A: Splash pads undergo regular maintenance by city staff, but it doesn’t involve balancing chemical levels like it does for pools.
Splash pads are connected to city water — the same water that comes out of your home and drinking fountains — so it’s already chlorinated, explained St. Catharines manager of facilities and energy Anthony Martuccio.
Martuccio said it’s not a re-circulating system. Any water that comes through the nozzles ends up going into the drain and back out into the sewer.
“The water that we use in the splash pads is clean. It’s the same stuff that comes out of your shower heads, faucets and stuff at home,” he said.
That said, the splash pads are visited every morning by city staff during the season. They run through a checklist to make sure everything is operating properly and that the pads are free of debris, such as glass, and safe overall.
Staff also ensure the surfaces and nozzles are clean and disinfected.
Throughout the day, staff visit pools and splash pads to keep an eye on them and ensure there’s nothing going wrong.
Martuccio said splash pad maintenance is not quite as labourintensive as pools because staff don’t have to check chemical levels and add chemicals to make sure they’re within certain specifications.
St. Catharines has splash pads at Pearson Park on Niagara Street, next to the St. Catharines Kiwanis Aquatics Centre, and in Catherine Street Park, next to the Russell Avenue community centre.
A new splash pad will be opened at West Park on Louth Street as part of improvements to the park that include a creative play structure, outdoor fitness equipment, a sun shelter and new washroom. The upgrades, paid for by the city and Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program, are expected to be completed by the fall.
Q: Do you know what the holdup is for the Walmart store coming to the Pen Centre? I have heard it’s a battle with Zehrs over not allowing groceries to be sold at that Walmart but not sure if it’s just a rumour.
A: Search Engine wishes it could shed some light on the rumours, but alas, no one is talking.
Walmart Canada has not responded to repeated requests for information.
John Bragagnolo, manager of the Pen Centre, said he couldn’t comment. He said it’s status quo for now.
Walmart Canada announced in May 2015 that it would open its fourth St. Catharines store in the former Target space at the Pen Centre. It was one of a dozen former Target stores that the company purchased across the country for $165 million.
Q: Is there a future plan for Chestnut Street in Merritton to connect to Chestnut street that runs behind the Pen Centre in St. Catharines? There has been a lot of work near the old mill hotel and Johnny Rocco’s, but is the long-term plan to bring the road through? It would ease traffic on Glendale Avenue.
A: No, but that could change in the future. St. Catharines transportation and environmental services director Dan Dillon said the city is starting up its transportation master plan and that would be one area of the city which would be studied.
“There’s nothing on the books at this point, but it’s something we’d be having a look at,” he said.
Search Engine speculates that connecting the two roads would be easier now than in previous years.
Donatelli Productions removed four acres of an old limestone berm last year where a spur line once ran along Hastings Street behind the Sobeys plaza.
Nino Donatelli said at the time that the removal of the berm paves the way for Chestnut Street East to join up Chestnut Street West or with Mountain Street, if the city desires it.