Playground Will Soon Break Ground and Barriers
The Oak Bluff Community School Playground Project will break ground on the first phase to replace the aging, inaccessible playground next to the school.
“Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers and the generous support of our donors, we are so excited to be able to start the first phase of our new playground,” says Janelle Hammond, who has been leading fundraising efforts as a member of Oak Bluff’s Home and School Association.
The current structure in Oak Bluff is almost 30 years old with elements in disrepair or outright missing, and a pea gravel base surrounded by a wood barrier that makes the area inaccessible to anyone with mobility challenges.
“We want to create a safe and modern play structure that is accessible to everyone. The plan is to have free-standing elements that all kids can enjoy and when this first phase is complete, we’ll keep working for the remaining enhancements and accessible surfacing. That is the ultimate goal, and there’s nothing like that in our town now,” says Hammond.
Breaking ground for phase one got one step closer earlier in the year when the project got word they could count on a $5,000 grant from ADAMA Canada’s Stomping Grounds community investment initiative.
“One of my colleagues at the association brought Stomping Grounds to my attention when they opened the application window and I was also aware of them funding a similar project in the area in the past,” says Hammond. “Outdoor play for all children has so many benefits, physically and mentally, and this is such a wonderful opportunity to put these funds to such good use.”
Stomping Grounds
The Oak Bluff Community School Playground Project is one of 23 community projects from across Canada that received funding from ADAMA this year. The company invested a total of $127,000 into the 23 projects and has contributed over half a million dollars since 2018 to strengthen the fabric of rural communities.
Andrew Kaminsky, Eastern Manitoba Area Business Manager with ADAMA Canada, had the honour of personally delivering the cheque to Hammond and Jeffrey Latimer, principal of the Oak Bluff Community School.
“I am not involved in the selection process, and while dropping off the cheques and meeting the people involved in the projects is always a highlight for me, this one was a little more special because I live not far from Oak Bluff and am very familiar with the playground,” says Kaminsky. “It’s definitely due for a serious upgrade.”
Hammond knows two other people who agree with Kaminsky that the playground upgrade is due.
“I’ve got two girls that are super, super excited,” she says. “They just finished Grade 3 and kindergarten and have seen the plans. They can’t wait for it to happen; they wish the playground could be installed tomorrow.”