INNISFAIL – A fundraising drive has been launched by the Innisfail Campus Playground Committee for a new semi-inclusive and accessible facility designed to be a safe and active community gathering place behind St. Marguerite Bourgeoys Catholic School.
The new playground on the Innisfail Schools Campus is the town’s second major project of its kind announced this spring.
Last month, the Town of Innisfail announced a plan to create the community’s first fully accessible and all-inclusive children’s playground for Napoleon Park Sports Fields behind the Innisfail Twin Arena. It will be built at an estimated cost of $275,000.
The initiative for the new schools campus playground, which has a tentative budget of $350,000, was created when an older facility, believed to be at least 20-years-old, was taken down in the spring of 2021.
"I love that this provides an opportunity for our students and our Innisfail community to have a playground space to come and enjoy with their families in a safe playground structure because the old one wasn't safe," said Angela Warke, the principal of École John Wilson Elementary School. "The new Innisfail School Campus playground will also be a space that will promote active and imaginative play, physical activity, and fun for all."
Warke's school is partnering with St. Marguerite and Innisfail Middle School on the playground project.
Michele Wright, principal at St. Marguerite who was at the 2022 Spring Trade Show on April 2 to promote the new project, said the old playground behind the school was removed because it was determined by Chinook’s Edge School Division it was not safe for children.
“They determined it was leaning. We thought at that time we had more time to replace it, and they said, ‘no you do not. We have to take it down. It is not safe enough,” she said. “Even though it is right behind our school we share the entire campus, so we are working together to raise the funds.”
Wright emphasized the new playground will be more than just a replacement. It will be one that is even better.
“And one that you can grow into. That is with the satellite pieces,” said Wright, noting the committee is working on the design with Blue Imp, a nationally-recognized playground equipment manufacturer.
The tentative design features include a Top of the World playground unit with slides, igloo climber, six-swing set and a meteor with planar climbing net structure.
“We’re adding those pieces to that playground. We currently don’t have that in that area of Innisfail,” said Wright, noting the playground committee is mainly comprised of John Wilson and St. Marguerite representatives because those schools have younger kids.
She said the new playground will be designed for children in pre-kindergarten to middle school students in grades 7 and 8. There will be pieces for wheelchair access to accommodate students who require that feature. However, the facility will not have the hard rubber surface.
Wright said her school’s parent council is putting “different money” towards the project, and has raised more than $5,000 to date.
Warke noted John Wilson recently held a casino and about $13,000 of the event’s proceeds will go to the project. She added John Wilson students also raised another $2,000 back in December through candy cane sales.
The committee is also applying for a variety of business and government grants, including the province’s Community Facility Enhancement Fund and Central Alberta Co-op’s Community Support Fund.
“We have a whole list that we are applying for, and some are matching,” said Wright, adding the committee is also seeking donations from parents and businesses through a multi-level sponsorship program.
“We are going in stages,” she added. “Our first stage is the ground work and main structure, which will be about $130,000, and it’s continuing to add different satellite pieces as we grow.”
According to an informational sheet handed out at the 2022 Spring Trade Show, the tentative start date for the playground project is this September, with an estimated completed date one year later in September 2023.
