MAYOR … Pioneer Mayor Ed Kidston stands under the large tank for a big splash during the grand opening celebration for Pioneer’s new Splash Pad.
BUTTON START … A group of children who won a, guess the numbers competition, stand and push the button to activate the splash pad for the first time.
A SPLASH … A large number of children were able to enjoy Pioneer’s new splash pad after the grand opening celebration. The splash pad had plenty for each of the children to do, while also allowing them to cool off during the hot summer’s day.
(PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
WAVE … The Pioneer Summer Day Parade came through town. Following the First Responder Breakfast, the parade was a kickoff for the rest of the fun that was to be had throughout the rest of the day
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The Village of Pioneer welcomed a large number of guests on Saturday, July 12 for its Summer Day Celebration, which also marked the official grand opening of the community’s new splash pad.
With entertainment running from sunrise to well after dark, the event offered something for all ages, from food and music to tournaments and family activities, all of it free to the public.
The day kicked off with a First Responder Breakfast hosted by local firefighters from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. That was followed by the community parade at 11:30 a.m., after which crowds made their way downtown for lunch, free treat stations, and character appearances.
Throughout the early afternoon, kids and families were kept busy with balloon animals, table magic, caricatures, and a performance by magician Andrew Martin.
Free snacks, including popcorn, slushies, caramel apples, and cotton candy, were handed out, with food and drinks remaining available into the evening hours.
The major highlight of the day took place at 2 p.m. when Pioneer officially opened up its new splash pad.
Mayor Kidston first spoke to everyone who came out to take part in the new splash pad, along with Ohio State Representative Jim Hoops.
Then, in an opening moment that connected past and present, Mayor Ed Kidston held a Facebook contest where participants were invited to guess three numbers between 0 and 300.
The winning numbers, 18, 4, and 9, represented the year 1849, when Pioneer was founded. Winners Adam Nickloy, Maci Delong, and Madix Munger were selected, though Floyd Romero stepped in to take Madix’s place due to a scheduling conflict. The three helped push the button to activate the splash pad for the first time.
Kidston explained that the splash pad project began about a year and a half ago and came together thanks to grant funding and community donations.
At the time, $200,000 in grant money came in to support the project. The rest would come arrive in the form of donations from several businesses, organizations and individuals in the community.
Originally this project was slated to cost around $875,000 but, by utilizing the village’s public works crew, the cost was able to be kept down to around $325,000, all while being able to keep clear from using taxpayer dollars.
“We received several donations. We raised all of the money needed to purchase the equipment and install it and it’s been a great project,” Kidston said.
“Kids will love it. It will be one of the best pads in the whole area in my opinion and should give enjoyment for the next 25+ years.”
The celebration continued through the afternoon with sports tournaments, including corn hole, wiffle ball, and 3-on-3 basketball.
At 5 p.m., a duck race was held, followed by a chicken and ribs dinner. Andrew Martin returned for a second magic show in the evening, and the Legion Dance kicked off at 8 p.m. with live music by Weekend Warriors.
Capping off the night was a 9:30 p.m. drone show, marking the second year in a row that Pioneer featured the high-tech display.
“Last year was the 175th birthday and the first drone show ever in NW Ohio,” said Kidston. “People loved it, and we thought we will do another event and another drone show, and it has worked out really well.”
Kidston expressed gratitude for the community’s spirit and generosity. “I am just tickled to death. Pioneer is a community that is so generous,” he said.
“If you ask them correctly and thank them correctly, they just give, give, give. We make an effort at Pioneer to go out of our way to thank people.”
“All of the village employees have just done a fantastic job getting ready for this thing. They have had to do their normal job to start with too, and they are very busy in the summer, but they went over and made this happen for the community.”
Looking back on the day’s success, Kidston summed up his pride in the people of Pioneer.
“Our community has so many good people in it who want to do the right thing, it really is a pleasure and joy to serve them as mayor because they really are good people.”