If you’ve walked or driven by the PHCC recently, you might be wondering: “It looks done—so why can’t we use it?” That’s a great question, and we hear it often. While we understand the excitement, especially with summer around the corner, we want to shed some light on what’s really happening behind that yellow construction fence.
🚧 Safety First – It’s Still a Construction Zone
First and foremost, the Park is a part of the construction zone. The new outdoor lounge and ramp directly effect the Splash Park and the Multi-Sport Court. Additionally, the only access to the park is through the active construction zone at the front of the building
As long as the yellow construction fencing remains, the construction site is considered active, and no member or staff is allowed in the site without proper equipment and direct supervision. Until that fence comes down, it is simply not safe—or legal—for public access.
Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes:
🔧 The Park is a Temporary Storage Yard
Currently, the park is filled with construction tools, building materials, and equipment. These items are not only hazards, but they also take up space that would otherwise be used for recreation.
🔋 No Power to the Secondary Gate
Even if we opened access through the back gate, there’s no electricity to power lights, locks, or communication systems. This makes the site both unsecure and unserviceable.
🚗 No Parking Available
There’s no public parking yet. Even if we opened the back gate, visitors would have to walk several minutes across hilly terrain—hardly ideal, especially for young kids, seniors, or people with mobility concerns.
📱 Incomplete Services for Staff
Operating the park from just the back gate would make it difficult to provide customer service. There’s no access to phone, internet, or electricity—critical tools for safety and operations.
🚶 Splash Park Isn’t Ready
There are no services available for the splash park like water and electricity. This also means that there are no bathrooms. Restarting the splash park system after nearly two years of dormancy will require weeks of flushing, testing, and potential repairs, followed by a full safety recertification from Alberta Health Services.
🚞 Dust, Noise, and Daily Truck Traffic
The ground is still unpaved and dusty, while large trucks continue to enter and exit the site delivering construction materials and equipment. That means loud noise, air pollution, and vehicle hazards on a daily basis.
🗓️ What’s Next?
We’re close, and we’re just as eager as you are to reopen this incredible space. But to do it safely, we must regain at least partial occupancy and ensure key infrastructure—like water, power, bathrooms, and safety systems—are functional and certified.
Until we can reopen, we appreciate your patience and understanding. We promise when the park reopens, it will be worth the wait.
Stay tuned to https://myphra.com/phcc-expansion/ for updates.
