This article was previously published on StratfordToday.
Stratford is growing. Along with it, there is a growing need for more public spaces.
Stratford has the most beautiful gardens in summer, but very few community spaces for kids to meet and play. As the cost-of-living increases, the ability to build backyard playgrounds is not as affordable as it once was, and so the need to create more public playgrounds to meet the growing demands of the community is more important to Stratford than ever before.
Parents of students at Bedford Public School formed a grass roots committee to fundraise for a playground in the empty field behind the school; to convert this blank canvass into a mixed-use space that includes a playground, butterfly and pollinator garden, running-track, benches and picnic tables.
“For growing safe communities and learning about our neighbours, we need safe spaces for our children and parents to meet. That’s what a playground is all about,” said committee chair, Nathalie Crinklaw. “I want a place where I can go with my kids, and meet other families.”
Organizers believe it’s an exciting opportunity for Stratford that goes well beyond benefitting one neighbourhood or one demographic, because children from every neighbourhood in Stratford benefit when there is a new park, new playground, new destination to meet and play. Every Stratford child, regardless of neighbourhood, visits the same playgrounds, so this will benefit the larger community of Stratford as a whole.
Almost immediately, the committee faced obstacles, because infrastructure projects are tricky to fund. There is public funding for community groups, public schools and public playgrounds, but not for a community group seeking funds for a public playground at a public school.
According to the committee’s grant writer, Allie Bell, Trillium Ontario funds schools. They fund playgrounds. But they will not fund a playground on school property; and they will only fund a playground for a municipality under 20,000 people. Stratford has 32,000 people.
The City of Stratford will not contribute funds, and neither will the Avon Maitland District School Board fund just one school – even if the entire population of students at that school has an obvious need.
“Not everyone has the accessible or disposable income anymore to build their own private playground in their own backyard,” Bell explains. “Especially with the way housing prices are increasing in more rural areas.”
Currently, Stratford has one splash pad adjacent to Anne Hathaway Public School, and one shaded playground at Upper Queen’s Park by the Festival Theatre. There are a few small neighbourhood playgrounds, and there is a small playground at the Avon Public School, but these are not accessible for all children. That has to change.
To date, the grass roots fundraising campaign to create a playground behind Bedford Public School has raised nearly $80,000 from over the past two years. The projected cost is $250,000. This figure includes excavation, engineering and drainage costs. Last year, the committee set out to build a track with materials donated from the city, but the board disallowed it until a drainage study could be completed.
Committee member Holly Graham says there are many ways to support this endeavour, even beyond investing money in the community.
“If you cannot donate money, maybe you can donate your time.” She continues, “Do you have a piece of equipment that would be helpful to building a track? Do you have a fundraising initiative that you would like to spearhead? Are you a business owner? How can we work with you?”
As Crinklaw says: “We want to make sure everybody can play.”
For more information, please email: [email protected].
