Township of Blandford-Blenheim staff said they’re looking forward to being able to complete accessibility improvements to the Bright Park playground.
Last month, Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman announced the Ontario government would be investing $200,000 into the project through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Capital Grant stream.
The municipality has been working to upgrade several local playgrounds throughout the township, with projects already completed in Princeton, Plattsville and most recently in Drumbo, to make them more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming for children of all ages and abilities.
In an interview with the Brant Beacon, Trevor Baer, the Township’s Manager of Community Services, said the municipality was happy to be chosen as a recipient of the funding, and that the Township will also be contributing $12,000 to the project.
“We were thrilled to find out we got the grant. It’s exciting news for the Township and it will be good for the residents,” he said. “These grants don’t come around all the time and a lot of people apply, so we’re very lucky and very fortunate to be chosen. We want to thank the OTF for this opportunity, it’s been great to work with them in the past and it will be great to work with them on this project as well.”
While the Township has yet to put out a Request for Proposals (RFP), Baer said the project will modernize the existing playground by incorporating accessible play features and safety surfacing, improved site accessibility, inclusive park amenities and new seating areas.
“We’re going to be removing the old equipment and replacing it with new playground equipment, and then we’ll be putting in new surfacing throughout the park as well. We’ll be looking into things like woodchips, rubber or turf,” he said. “There’ll also be some accessible ground features on the big playground unit, as well as the addition of an inclusive accessible swing, and either a communication board or sensory board. Because this is meant to be a community hub, we’re also including a component for the underrepresented groups. We’re going to be adding in an Indigenous bench as well as a rainbow bench for the LGBTQIA+ community.”
Staff have already begun the procurement and planning process, and will continue working with community partners and accessibility advocates to ensure the project meets the needs of the community.
Baer said that while upgrading parks are only one piece of the Township’s broader accessibility efforts, creating more inclusive spaces is a step toward making the community a more welcoming place.
“We have a multi-year accessibility plan and our Parks and Recreation Master Plan that talks about accessibility,” he said. “We’d all like to do more, but it’s tough because you have to do it slowly, work together and have a vision. For us, making our parks more accessible and more welcoming for everybody, is part of that vision.”
Overall, Baer said that he and the rest of Township staff are looking forward to the park upgrade, and are excited about what it means for the community.
“The park isn’t bad right now, but it will be great for that particular community to have something new, and a place where everyone can feel included in one place,” he said. “And parks are great because they give kids the opportunity to play and be independent, they’re just one of things you don’t know how much they benefit the community until it’s not there.”
While completion of the Bright playground upgrades are still a while away, Baer said that the Drumbo Park’s upgrades were recently finished and the park has been open to enjoy since Friday, July 31.
He also added that the Township will also be hosting a grand opening event for the Princeton playground on Thursday, August 13, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and residents are invited to enjoy a free barbecue, ice cream, magic show, live entertainment, and of course, the newly opened playground. Speeches and a ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 6:10 p.m.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
