By KATLYN PROCTOR
Eagle Times Staff
CLAREMONT, N.H. — Family fun in Claremont just got even better with the new addition of a flume slide at the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center pool. A formal ribbon cutting was held to commemorate the occasion on Thursday, April 24, attended by officials of the city of Claremont and citizens.
“What was once a just a line item on a budget is now a towering symbol of joy, laughter, and opportunity,” said Mayor Dale Girard during his opening remarks. “We expect this slide to make quite a splash — especially with our youngest residents.”
The hope is that the blue and red spiral flume slide “turns up the fun” at the center.
“It is truly a privilege to stand here today and recognize the completion of a project that’s going to bring joy, energy, and whole lot of splashing fun to the youth of Claremont for many years to come,” said Justin Martin, director of parks and recreation.
The slide was factored into the city’s budget as a capital project some time ago but has remained somewhat a contentious topic. It seemed that no city official knew the slide was paid for and ready for installation until fairly recently when Girard approached City Manager Yoshi Manale, who investigated.
“This exciting addition was first imagined during last year’s budget hearings, and thanks to the hard work and commitment of so many, that vision has become a reality,” said Girard.
“It was a budget line for a capital project,” explained Martin after the ribbon cutting. “We’re really fortunate enough that the architects were forward-thinking when they built this facility and they put in the stanchions for the slide as well as the water hook up, which is really important because we now have water going down through the slide to help the kids slide down. We had a water line that was run under the deck, so the good news is we didn’t have to tear up anything to put the slide and water hook up in.”
The slide is intended to enhance the quality of life for residents of Claremont one splash at a time.
Along with Girard and Martin, Claremont Citizen of the Year Tina Bergeron along with Community Center Coordinator Dawn Zombeck, cut the red ribbon with a pair of oversized scissors.
“This slide is about more than just fun,” Girard said. “It represents our continued investment in community-focused spaces that bring people together and encourage healthy, active living.”
Lucky Claremont resident Jevin Bergeron was the first to test the slide on Thursday, splashing into the water in record time with a smile on his face.
To take advantage of the new flume slide, visit sites.google.com/view/claremont-parks-rec/home to check the pool hours at the community center.
