Bright blue and yellow balloons marked Williams Lake Daybreak Rotary’s official opening of the new Williams Lake Bouldering Park on Sunday, Oct. 1.
Local dignitaries gathered in Boitanio Park at the impressive new bouldering park, located near the dog park and skateboard park, to celebrate the achievement.
Williams Lake mayor Surinderpal Rathor and Cariboo Chilcotin MLA Lorne Doerkson congratulated Daybreak Rotary for their success, and also thanked generous donors.
Daybreak Rotary president Andrew Sandberg, who spearheaded the project, said his young children inspired him to want to create a new recreation opportunity in the lakecity.
“I wanted to give them something I didn’t have growing up … and we wanted to build an additional playground to accompany Kiwanis Park,” said Sandberg.
The $130,000 project has been in the works since 2022 and was made possible through the generosity of about 70 businesses and community members who donated funds and in-kind services.
The platinum sponsor for the project is the West Fraser Truckers Association. Gold sponsors include Candice and Doug Magnowski, Sta-Well Health Foods and Scott Clark Excavating.
“It took a staggering-low 10 months to be fully funded,” said Sandberg, thanking sponsors.
Visible from the main parking lot at Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, the bouldering park is the only one of its kind in Canada and has been opened for use since Aug. 31.
