Cracked bucket dampens opening of Sugarbowl splash pad

A large crack in the base of the tipping bucket at Sugarbowl Park has forced the Town of Fort Erie to shut off the splash pad’s marquee feature, with no firm reopening date as summer arrives.

The Town of Fort Erie Recreation and Facilities Department disabled the oversized tipping bucket at the Gilmore Road park for safety after staff found the crack. The closure hits one of four municipal splash pads that opened June 1.

The department is pressing the installer to determine whether the cracked part falls under warranty, and a reopening depends on how fast a replacement arrives.

Crystal Ridge Park’s splash pad reopened after its own breakdown. A pre-inspection in mid-May found the activator button broken, and the part landed only this week.

“As soon as the part was delivered, staff installed it and the spray pad opened,” the Town of Fort Erie Recreation and Facilities Department told Fort Erie Radio.

The two remaining splash pads run without trouble; Ferndale Park and Stevensville Memorial Park are both operational.

The town posts splash pad closures to its social media channels, as it has no online status page or on-site signage to warn residents of mid-season shutdowns.

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