Kids at Gibsons Elementary have something new to get excited about this year – completion of their new school playground.
Finishing touches on the new accessible playground, including installation of several pieces of cool new equipment and a rubberized surfacing to make the playground accessible to children with mobility challenges, were completed just prior to school opening in September.
For the past month, students at the school have been testing the ropes of the giant space ball and spider web and seeing how high they can get on the disc swing.
Now it’s time to celebrate all the hard work that has made the playground happen with an official opening this week.
Completion of the project has been a long time coming. In 2014, Gibsons Elementary marked the opening of its new $14 million school. But the capital budget did not provide any funding for a new playground, much less a disabled-accessible one, and the existing equipment was over 25 years old. For over three years, the challenge of raising money for a playground has been taken up by parents at the school.
After raising almost $200,000 towards the project over several years, the Parents Advisory Council at Gibsons Elementary is thrilled to see the project completed and the playground being enjoyed.
But it takes a community to raise a child. Parents could not have completed their task without the generous help of many. The project has had generous support from the federal government, Tire Stewardship B.C., and many local organizations including the Gibsons Rotary and Lions Clubs, the local school district, the Sunshine Coast Community Foundation and many other donors including local governments, businesses, unions and private individuals. Without them, the project would not have been possible.
All are welcome to join in an opening celebration and ribbon cutting for the new playground this coming Thursday, Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m. at Gibsons Elementary.
Come and help celebrate what our community has built together!
