‘It’s a very large undertaking’

Gaspereau school’s playground project underway

There’s a big, empty space where the playground should be at Gaspereau Valley Elementary School. The school is pre-primary to Grade 5 with an enrolment of about 200 students.

“We’ve tried to come up with other activities but it’s really a missing piece of the school,” says Grade 4 teacher Joanna Broome. “Outdoors is where the kids build their friendships and where they burn off energy so they’re ready to come back inside and learn. It’s really important for their physical and mental development.”

In 2019, the playground equipment was inspected and removed, being deemed unsafe due to rot and water damage. Broome and fellow teacher Mary Kenny are leading the charge to rectify the situation.

“There was a committee formed to work on replacing the equipment, but then COVID happened and that interrupted their fundraising,” Broome recalls.

On May 27, six brave teachers each took one for the team, taking a pie in the face to raise funds for new playground equipment.

The project is already off to a good start as the previous committee raised $10,000. With a fundraising goal of $100,000, Broome and Kenny are putting the call out to local businesses, community groups and service clubs, asking for support with the project.

Donors can make a contribution in a variety of ways. They can purchase a piece of a puzzle for any amount they can contribute and a list of contributors will be made public.

Donors can also purchase a specific piece of playground equipment, such as a slide, step climber or monkey bars.

Businesses or individuals can also donate a gift card or other item that can be used in raffle baskets during the fundraising campaign.

They have also applied for grants through the municipality and from the Mud Creek Rotary Club.

“We’re also accepting inkind donations from companies who can take away the old pea gravel and provide underlay,” Broome points out. “It’s a very large undertaking.”

In the true spirit of democracy, they’ve consulted with the children to see what they wanted in a playground, Broome adds.

“They want slides, monkey bars, a fireman’s pole and places underneath to hide,” she says. “They’d also like to have musical instruments like drums and xylophone parts.”

Broome is hoping to have the playground construction underway by spring or fall of 2023. She has some experience in these matters, having observed a similar process in her previous job at Brooklyn District Elementary School.

Playgrounds are essential safe spaces, Broome points out, where children can be themselves and express their fun-loving nature while developing crucial cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills.

“It feels like we’ve been stuck indoors for the past two years,” she says. “For some of our students there has not been a playground for the entire time they’ve been here.”

Any number of community and school-based groups use the school property, Broome points out. These include Cubs, Brownies, Scouts and Guides, as well as tennis and badminton clubs. Additionally, many children and families access the area for fitness and gatherings.

“There are really no community parks for people to go to,” she says. “So, it’s important to have something there.”