In a partnership with the Rotary Club of Cumberland Centennial, the Province is providing $50,000 to help revitalize the Village Park playground, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Bill Bennett announced Friday.
Major playground equipment will be replaced.
“It’s a one-time grant that we were able to find,” Bennett announced in council chambers. The crowd included Rotarians and Comox Valley MLA Don McRae. “I know you’ll put it to good use.”
Bennett said he looks forward to coming back in the near future to try out the swings.
Club member John Challender notes challenges posed by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) when it comes to playground equipment.
“We approached the Village,” Challender said. “The price tag they talked about for the project was $100,000.”
Cumberland Village Park is a gathering place for activities and a hub for events such as the Lantern Festival Parade and Empire Days. A redeveloped playground will make it a more attractive place for families and improve the safety of the playground.
“Providing places where children can run around, be active and have fun is a quintessential part of childhood and an important factor in encouraging a love for physical activity at a young age that can carry on throughout life,” Cumberland Mayor Leslie Baird said.
The playground is one part of a park renewal project that also includes:
• Washroom building replacement;
• Dog park improvements;
• Bicycle jump park expansion;
• Woodland picnic area enhancements;
• Skate park construction;
• Tennis court upgrades.
In addition, a new walkway will be built to make the park more accessible for people with strollers or mobility aids.
Rotary’s application resulted in the government grant coming forward.
Cumberland Centennial has raised more than $300,000 in its eight years as a club. The money has been spent on numerous projects. The first was a thermal imaging camera for the fire department.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com
