Goderich's new and long-awaited sports and recreation park begins operation today, but the official celebration won't happen for another few weeks yet.

Councillor Trevor Bazinet tells Country 104.9 News that Bannister Park's "soft opening" is today, and that an official celebration will be held on Saturday, July 20th.

The $3.2 million complex was to have started operation in April, but Rec Park Revitalization Committee Chair Leah Noel says weather issues forced the opening back by three months.

Bannister Park was built with local funding, and the project won the $250 thousand first prize in the nationwide Kraft-Heinz Project Play contest in 2017.