The countdown is on.
‘Countdown to the Big Splash? is set for Sunday, Sept. 12 as the Renee Przybylski Memorial Spraypark is opened to the public one year after fund-raising began.
‘It will be a party atmosphere, but we’re going with a countdown theme,? Kelly Arcello, Spraypark committee chairperson, said.
The celebration begins at 2 p.m. inside Clintonwood Park in Independence Township. Throughout the afternoon, games and activities, such as a moonwalk, face painting and a basketball shoot from the Palace of Auburn Hills, will keep young guests entertained and food from local businesses will keep everyone full.
Raffle tickets will be available for purchase that day to win one of many donated items, such as merchandise autographed by Tom Izzo, coach of the Michigan State University’s men’s basketball team.
In addition to the games, the park will be open for an inaugural run. Wristbands will be given to children for 15-minute intervals inside the park.
‘We know it’s going to be busy that day,? Terry Bendes, committee member, said. ‘We made sure to plan lots of fun stuff.?
A formal dedication is scheduled for 3 p.m., at the park’s memorial sign, with remarks from committee members Arcello, Bendes, Parks and Recreation Director Mike Turk and the Przybylskis.
‘We’ll tell the history of the spraypark,? Michele Przybylski, committee chairperson, said.
All park sponsors and benefactors will be invited to the event, according to the committee. The grand opening will end at 5 p.m.
Planning for the event has gone on for a month. Committee members waited until finishing touches on the park were ready before officially unveiling it to the public.
‘We’ve been waiting to see where the park was at,? Przybylski said. ‘We wanted to make sure everything was set.?
The Sept. 12 date was chosen to reflect the one-year mark of the park’s planning. Fund-raising began Sept. 13, 2003 with a $10,000 donation from the Clarkston Optimists.
To date, more than $250,000 has been raised for the park.
‘We started at $25,000 and now we’ve gone over $250,000 in less than a year’s time and it’s all due to the goodness of this community,? Przybylski said. ‘We couldn’t have done it without them.?
From Sept. 13 on, the park will be open everyday, depending on weather conditions, from 2-7 p.m. under the supervision of an Independence Township Parks and Recreation employee, according to Arcello.
‘Make sure to come ready in your swimsuit and towel,? Arcello said. (Since bathroom space is limited inside the park, children are recommended to come ‘ready? to play).
Although the park is ready for its wet guests, fund-raising efforts are still taking place a year later. Commemorative bricks, placed at the park’s entrance, are still available and will help fund the maintenance and enhancement of the park in the future.
The park is dedicated to the memory of Renee Przybylski, a Clarkston resident who died from leukemia in 2000.
As the grand opening nears, the committee is extremely grateful for the support of the community in making the spraypark a reality.
‘Even people who didn’t know her (Renee) wanted to contribute because it was a labor of love,? Przybylski said.
For more information about the grand opening or to purchase a commemorative brick, call the Independence Township Parks and Recreation department at (248) 625-8223.