The City of Surrey and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities has broken ground on what will be the city’s largest playground once completed.
The new 12,000 -sq.-ft. accessible playground is expected to be completed in late 2019 and will offer “an imaginative and accessible space for children of all abilities to play together,” according to a release from the City of Surrey on Wednesday (July 10).
The playground’s artist’s rendering shows red surfacing that from a bird’s eye view is the Canadian Tire logo. Some of the features include double-wide ramps, a roller slide, a bucket seat with harness swing and a “quiet zone” designed for children on the autism spectrum.
In April, it was announced that the playground would be a gift to the City of Surrey from Jumpstart. It is valued at $1 million.
The city will be responsible for the cost of site preparation, site security and finishing work, which is estimated at $130,000.
READ MORE: Accessible playground coming to Surrey park, April 30, 2019
A sample 3D rendering of the playground
Marco Di Buono, associate vice-president of programs and operations at Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, said the July 10 groundbreaking marked an “important milestone for inclusivity.”
“We are thrilled to be working with the City of Surrey to make Unwin Park a place where kids of all abilities
can experience the joy of play,” Di Buono said.
Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum said this new playground is another example of the city “taking a leadership role in advancing accessibility and inclusion.”
“This new, inclusive playground will remove the barriers that many children face when it comes to playing alongside their peers who may have different levels of ability. When barriers are removed, the impact on our community and our children, are profound,” McCallum said.
The Unwin Park playground will be the seventh playground built in Canada with the help of Jumpstart funding. The charity, according to the release, is a national charity “dedicated to helping kids overcome financial and accessibility barriers to sport and recreation in an effort to provide inclusive play for kids of all abilities.”
READ ALSO: Surrey council approves $357-million parks and rec plan, including 29 new parks, May 25, 2018
lauren.collins@surreynowleader.com
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