The Town of Blackfalds recently christened their newest greenspace — Tutty Pond.
The park, located off Broadway across from the Co-op Gas Bar, is a natural greenspace named in honour of the Tutty family, who owned the land since the 1950s.
Jamie Hoover, deputy mayor, said the plan for Tutty Pond has been in the works for awhile.
“I think the former leadership of the Town showed great foresight to imagine the growth coming to this area and they wanted to set aside a natural space that was also functional,” Hoover said.
“Not only is this a great greenspace, it also allows for our expansion and to manage our stormwater system — which is something we are doing throughout the entire town.”
Hoover said a natural greenspace can help slow down life for busy Blackfalds families.
“We can have manufactured spaces, which are great for the kids but for people to really enjoy their surroundings — we like to keep it as natural as possible. There is an opportunity to keep this natural, while also reducing stress and improving the quality of life,” he said.
Hoover also credited the Tutty family, including former mayor Wayne Tutty, for their commitment to the community.
“Wayne Tutty served on council and as mayor. He is passionate about the community and I’m sure he is a huge part of the reason Blackfalds grew the way it did,” he said.
Tutty was happy to see the park finally opened after years of planning.
“It is a long time in the making — it was 16 years ago when it was first dedicated. It was a good time to do it now with the development. It is a tremendous park,” Tutty said
Tutty has already taken joy in seeing young residents enjoy the natural area.
“I drive by here all the time and that is nice to see, especially with the daycare kids coming down here and looking at it,” he said. “Other parks are more urban, but this is a natural setting. They come and look at the geese and the birds — there is lots of birds in this area, along with foxes and deer.”
Tutty also explained that land used for Blackfalds’ newest park was also the location of the Town’s very first park near the beginning of the 20th century. The park was centrally located due to it being near the old C&E Trail, which was at the time the only road connecting Edmonton and Calgary.
“After talking to our local historian Judy Carlton, she was able to check out things and from what we found out from the information is that this was the first park,” he said.
I am so appreciative that people came out today. I’m looking forward to enjoying this space and seeing our residents enjoy it as well
Tutty thanked the town for working with his family to make this park a reality.
“They worked with us and always told us what they were planning. That worked good,” he said.
todd.vaughan@lacombeexpress.com
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