The City of Greenwood received nearly $100,000 in cash and in-kind donations toward the city’s new playground at Lions Park, according to Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Wendy Higashi.
The largest contribution came in the way of donated wages by Alberta playground contractor Trevor Zahara, whose Peak Play Consulting sourced construction materials and handled safety inspections. CAO Higashi put the donated figure at around $48,000 worth of Peak Play’s billable hours.
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Speaking from his Edmonton office Wednesday, Dec. 9, Zahara said, “I fell in love with the community of Greenwood.” He spent nearly four months living out of a “bubble office” he’d set up in his Volkswagen Eurovan, which he’d parked outside Lions Park until cold weather persuaded him to check in to the Boundary Creek and Greenwood motels.
An overhead shot of Lions Park shows ground work laid in preparation of the city’s new playground. Greenwood’s Gerry Shaw donated the use of his backhoe (top centre) over the summer. Photo courtesy of Peak Play Consulting
Zahara and Higashi thanked Midway’s Vaagen Fibre, who donated and discounted much of the larch wood building material, and Greenwood’s Gerry Shaw, who donated the use of his backhoe in the opening stages of construction. Nearby Sun Ranch Timber milled the lumber used to build the playground’s “tiny tot house,” Zahara said.
Almost $7,000 in cash contributions came from residents, businesses and community organizations in Greenwood and neighbouring Midway, according to Higashi.
An overhead shot of Greenwood’s Lions Park before the city and its partners in the community broke ground on the new playground project this summer. Photo courtesy of Peak Play Consulting
Other funding came through a provincial job creation partnership Higashi said was designed to create local job and training opportunities. Greenwood city council earmarked nearly $56,000 for the project last Spring, which Higashi said came from provincial gas-tax revenue.
The West Boundary Community Forest also made in-kind contributions toward the playground.
The first phase of the project is nearly complete, according to Higahsi and city mayor, Barry Noll. Construction will resume as soon as the ground thaws next Spring, they said.
Greenwood has applied for a $340,000 grant to pay for the next stage through the Invest in Canada Infrastructure Program, which provides federal and provincial funds to eligible community projects.
Trevor Zahara asked that The Times give special mention to playground site supervisor Dale Barge.
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