In June, a state-of-the-art $1,000,000 playground with considerations for kids with disabilities was opened at the Alfred Jenkins Fieldhouse. The funding for that project came from the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Project. (Michael Joel-Hansen/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Community upgrades

A new vision for P.A. playgrounds

Sep 20, 2019 | 4:51 PM

An ambitious plan for Prince Albert’s playgrounds is set to be unveiled at an October city council meeting. The report is an inventory of the 30 playgrounds in the city, with individual recommendations for improvements on a 25-year timeline.

“The future generation is our children,” Parks Manager Tim Yeaman told paNOW. “I think in order to leave a positive legacy we need to ask them, what do they need to be able to succeed in life? And play is an important aspect of everybody’s life whether you’re two years old or 99.”

Last year city council set aside an unprecedented $100,000 to invest in playgrounds. Yeaman originally planned to save that for seed money to apply for matching grants when the inventory was complete.

“What we realized going through and visiting each and every playground, was we couldn’t hold off,” he said.

They used the money to fix damaged equipment, improve sand and concrete surfaces and replace old benches, picnic tables and garbage cans – all to increase safety.

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Yeaman said the improvements made in the past year (with some still scheduled to be installed this fall) give the city a “launchpad” to pursue more ambitious renovations.

Community consultation will be key going forward.

“I think the past we’ve just developed based on this sense of ‘we had the money, let’s get a playground put in this place,’ but there was no really rhyme or reason as to why we put it in. So we want to be very conscientious moving forward that this isn’t just about the city; this is about the community.”

A graphic shows equipment that could potentially replace the Hazeldell Playground on Third Ave NW. (committee agenda package/CIty of P.A.)

If the park’s department can secure money from city council or other partners, they plan to hold open houses (which was done for the playground installed on Muzzy Drive in July) to determine what kind of equipment would best serve individual neighborhoods. That could be structures for toddlers, more challenging equipment for teenagers or simply basketball or volleyball courts.

The report ranks every playground in the city from those in need of immediate replacement to those set to last another 25 to 30 years. Ones in need of urgent work are Bernice Sayese Lions Park and James Isbister in the west and A.C. Howard in the east, plus the playground at Little Red River Park.

Yeaman hopes city councillors will be inspired by his vision, and allocate money for the projects during November’s budget discussions.

“Going to playgrounds today, intermingling with other kids and families brings a sense of cohesion and I think that’s important. I don’t think we can survive just being within our own four walls of our house,” he said.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom