Unwin Park will be home to a new accessible playground later this year.
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, in partnership with the City of Surrey, announced the plans to build the new playground on Tuesday (April 30), under the charity’s “Play Finds A Way” initiative.
A news release from the city says the playground will be a gift to the City of Surrey from Jumpstart. The playground is valued at just over $1 million.
The city will be responsible for the cost of site preparation, site security and finishing work, which is estimated at $130,000.
Construction is expected to begin this summer with completion before the end of 2019.
A sample 3D rendering of the playground
“Our parks and playgrounds play a vital role in providing a fun, safe and welcoming environment for children,” said Mayor Doug McCallum. “This new inclusive playground is a welcome addition for our children and all members of our community for years to come.”
McCallum said the new playground will complement the park’s existing water park.
READ ALSO: New ways to splash at Unwin Park, Aug. 12, 2012
The playground, according to the release, will be up to 12,000 sq. ft., and it will be “the largest in Surrey and will provide imaginative and accessible spaces where children of all abilities can play together.”
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.
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.”
Jumpstart’s “Play Finds A Way” initiative is made up of three distinct programs: the Jumpstart Inclusive Playground Project, Jumpstart Accessibility Grants and the Parasport Jumpstart Fund, according to the release. The Canadian Tire Corporation has an ongoing $50-million fundraising commitment, which “allows Jumpstart to focus funding efforts towards accessible playground, infrastructure and programming to provide access to play and sport for children of all abilities.”
Since 2005, according to the release, Jumpstart has helped fund more than $2.4 million in projects to help about 33,000 Surrey children participate in sport, recreation and play.
READ ALSO: Surrey council approves $357-million parks and rec plan, including 29 new parks, May 25, 2019
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