Donald Teuma-Castelletti
PORTAGE DU FORT
Aug. 18, 2018
One town bordering the Ottawa River had reason to celebrate Saturday morning, as they welcomed the re-opening of their playground, done up with a brand-new swing set, play structure, sandbox and a fresh layer of sod to round it all out.
The community park in Portage du Fort held its official grand re-opening celebrations on Saturday, seeing over 25 kids and their families turn out to see everything new at their home playground.
“We’re really excited, we’re really happy, because finally we have a park that is updated, it’s safe and the kids can come to enjoy it,” said Jenn Murphy, secretary for the Portage du Fort Recreation Association.
The party began at 10:30 a.m., when a parade formed at town hall. Local children, anxious to hit the new swing set and play structure, hopped on their decorated scooters, bikes, plus some mini, electric-powered vehicles to make their way down rue de l’Église.

Once there, and after being convinced to sit patiently for a group photo, they let loose, climbing, swinging and jumping around, with some getting their faces painted and others enjoying the barbeque lunch. The kids also enjoyed small gifts and t-shirts, showing off their pride for their home town.
Soon after, with the kids happy to explore and have fun together, the adults, consisting of recreation association members, town council members, parents, Father Basil Tanguay and Pontiac MP Will Amos, celebrated the opening with some dedications, thank-you’s and a blessing from the priest.
As well, Darlene Murdock, who, with her husband Jack Murdock, originally donated the property to the recreation association for the park, shared a special tribute in re-dedicating the park to Red and Beth Farrell.
“When Jack and I donated this property to the R.A., we did so in memory of my parents, Red and Beth Farrell, and hoped that it would be beneficial to the community,” said Darlene. “Mum and dad were very involved with the community through various organizations, and both of them loved small children, which is why we are so pleased, that the R.A. has developed the property as a playground for the children.”
After a ribbon cutting ceremony, parents joined in with their children in having fun at the playground.
Murphy described the significant upgrades to the park, sharing how the old facilities had featured a second-hand, wooden play structure. She credited the support of volunteers and local businesses for the success of the park project.
“We’re really thankful for the volunteers, we wouldn’t have been able to have it completed without their hard work,” continued Murphy.
She was also proud to highlight the locals who put time and effort into fundraising for the park, as the recreation association knows it takes extra effort for a smaller community to be able to afford such a renovation.
The park’s renovations was also afforded with the help of a grant from the federal government, distributed in association with Canada 150 celebrations. Announced in April 2017, the park received $7,849 for its renovations under the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program.
“To make a park like this come to fruition, it takes a ton of effort,” said Amos. “It takes a ton of teamwork, it takes a lot of people pulling together, agreeing on what you want … It’s a fairly expensive project, for a small municipality to take on and that represents a major commitment by parents, by taxpayers, by folks who say, ‘You know what? This is what our families need.’”
Next up for Portage du Fort’s recreation association is revitalizing their local baseball field.