A New Community Park at Wolfville School

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A New Community Park at Wolfville School

By David Edelstein, Playground Improvement Committee member

On the heels of the major renovations to Wolfville School, the parent-led Playground Improvement Committee has unveiled plans for a re-imagined playground space. The “Wolfville School Activity Park” is a comprehensive plan to fill unused space and replace aging play equipment with new facilities and landscaping that will bring greater enjoyment of sports, fitness, and the outdoors to students and the entire community.

The new Activity Park is based around three main themes: sport, play, and nature.

Soccer court
We will replace the bare dirt soccer field with a hard-surface, fenced-in soccer court that will be playable throughout most of the year. The court will be built to FIFA futsal standards and will be the first of its kind in Nova Scotia, providing a unique facility that will be open to all community members.

We will also refurbish the well-used basketball court that was installed during the last round of renovations.

Modern play equipment
We will replace the aging play structure (mainly suited for grades Primary to 2) with modern, attractive equipment that will provide physical development activities for children of varying ages and abilities. Current plans include a multi-activity structure for younger students, a rope climbing structure and large spinner geared toward older children, double the current number of swings, and smaller items such as a boogie board, games, and musical instruments.

Students in wheelchairs will be able to access parts of the play structures, as well as other games and equipment. The play equipment will be underlain with wood fibre, for a natural look that is easy to maintain.

Natural fitness and play
In its present state, the playground has no landscaping or natural elements other than grass.

Our plan is to fill the periphery of the playground with low-maintenance landscaping, dotted with fitness stations and small play structures made primarily from natural materials (such as logs and lumber), to promote fitness and creative play among children and adults alike. Some of these structures would also provide space for socializing and outdoor class activities.

We need your help!
The estimated cost of this extensive renovation is $500,000. Work on the playground is being planned in stages, beginning this summer. The good news is that we are already one third of the way to our goal, thanks to a grant from the Town of Wolfville, early donations from community members, and a grant from the Mud Creek Rotary Club that requires $50,000 in matching personal donations from the community.

To make it the rest of the way, we are asking for the generous support of local community members and businesses. (The school board itself provides no funding for playground construction or renovation.) All donations are tax-deductible, and donations of $2500 or more will be given prominent recognition in the new Activity Park.

To donate, please make cheques payable to AVRSB Foundation and send to:

Wolfville School Activity Park
c/o Paula Henley, Finance Dept.
Annapolis Valley Regional School Board
121 Orchard St.
Berwick, NS, B0P 1E0

Mother’s Day Raffle at the Farmers’ Market
Come visit us at the Wolfville Farmers’ Market on May 13, where we’ll be sharing information about the Activity Park and selling raffle tickets for a beautiful Mother’s Day gift basket, filled with awesome goods and services donated by local businesses! It’s our first community fundraiser, and a chance for everyone to support this valuable recreation space in the heart of Wolfville.

For more information, including links to a comprehensive proposal overview and our e-brochure, visit WolfvilleSchoolActivityPark.ca. Or email us with questions at WolfvilleSchoolActivityPark@gmail.com.
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