Many of the local parks within the Town of Swan River have had severe impacts in the aftermath of the recent flooding. For safety reasons, the town has closed a few of the parks due to flood damage.
“At this time, the town has closed both Swan River Legion Park and Swan River Rotary Park to the public due to flood damage,” said Town of Swan River Director of Recreation Danielle Gordon-Broome. “Barricades have been placed at all public entrances to both parks. These closures are in place for public safety, and we ask residents to respect them until the parks can be safely reopened.”
The damage in some of the parks goes beyond just a few fallen trees and a buildup of debris. Some of the infrastructure has been compromised by rising water.
“Legion Park experienced significant impacts from the flood,” said Gordon-Broome. “A large amount of garbage accumulated throughout the park, much of it originating from full recycling bins that were awaiting pickup before being swept away by the floodwaters. A thick layer of muddy sediment remains on portions of the pathways, and the concession building, storage area, and south washroom facility all received approximately two feet of water.
“As a result, cabinets, appliances, and interior wall finishes will need to be replaced.
The electrical panels serving both the stage and Jack Brown Diamond were submerged, requiring electrical inspections before these facilities can safely be put back into service. In addition, several trees were damaged/fallen, with some requiring removal due to safety concerns.
“Rotary Park has only recently dried enough for staff to begin a full assessment,” said Gordon-Broome. “The park sustained considerable damage to its trail system, with sections of gravel washed away and other areas covered by thick deposits of rock, sand, and sediment left behind by the floodwaters. There are also numerous trees that have been damaged and will require assessment and cleanup.
“Restoring the pathways will involve bringing in contractors to remove sediment, regrade the trails, and install new gravel. The timeline for reopening Rotary Park will largely depend on contractor availability and the extent of the work required.
“At this time, we have no concerns regarding bank erosion or slope stability at either Legion Park or Rotary Park,” said Gordon-Broome. “The closures are primarily due to flood damage, cleanup activities, damaged trees, and the need to ensure park infrastructure is safe before reopening to the public.
“Elsewhere in our park system, the soccer fields sustained little to no damage and are expected to return to use quickly. Most playgrounds also fared well; however, one playground experienced significant damage.
“Overall, the majority of the park infrastructure withstood the flood remarkably well,” said Gordon-Broome. “The most significant infrastructure damage occurred at Dvorak Park on Duncan Crescent. In addition to large amounts of rock and debris being deposited throughout the playground and surrounding green space, the swing set was uprooted and buried under debris, and the slide was twisted beyond repair.
“Due to the extent of the damage, Dvorak Park will require substantial restoration, and we do not anticipate reopening that playground until 2027.”
Town crews have been working around the clock to restore the damage done by the flood. It’s going to take some time to have things cleaned up, and even more time to restore and repair damages.
“Town staff have made significant progress in the initial cleanup efforts,” said Gordon-Broome. “Crews have removed large amounts of garbage, pressure washed the stage, benches, and other park fixtures, and cleaned out the concession building in preparation for repairs. A contractor has been engaged to assess damaged trees and address any safety concerns, and the Town is continuing to explore additional contractor support to accelerate restoration efforts.
“We anticipate reopening Legion Park in early August. Rotary Park will require more extensive restoration work, and a reopening date has not yet been determined.”