With a $150,000 Trillium fund grant in hand and a green light from council, the Wellesley and District Lions Club is ready to break ground on its accessible playground.
![The PlayTogether Committee for Wellesley’s forthcoming accessible playground was joined by Wellesley Mayor Joe Nowak, Wellesley and District Lions Club president Murray Bremner and Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael Harris at the Nith River Chophouse Apr. 11 to accept a $150,000 cheque from Ontario Trillium Foundation representative Ruby Weber. [Submitted]](https://www.observerxtra.com/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/post_playground.jpg)
The $310,000 project will replace the existing facility behind the Wellesley Arena with state of the art equipment designed to provide an open and inclusive environment for children of all abilities and needs.
“All of the kids in Wellesley will benefit from this park,” PlayTogether project coordinator Jennifer Kays-Sommer said. “All of the kids in our community will benefit from kids of different abilities playing together. This is where acceptance of differences starts. This is where kids really develop those friendships and the social interactions that will carry them through the rest of life, it’s by interacting with kids of all abilities.”
At some $275,000 raised, the Lions still have some work to do to pay for the park. While council decided against helping pay for the park – the Lions had asked for the township to chip in 10 per cent, or approximately $30,000 – the township will carry the project deficit until the group raises the full ticket.
Kitchener-Conestoga MPP Michael Harris, Wellesley Mayor Joe Nowak and representatives of the Ontario Trillium Foundation joined the Lions Club at the Ninth River Chophouse in Wellesley village April 11 to celebrate the donation.
“It will be a tremendous benefit to our community,” Nowak said, lauding the work of the volunteers who worked so hard to get the project going. “It is going to give our children with disabilities an opportunity to play with their peers and it gives them a chance to reach their full potential.”
Designing the playground has been a meticulous process, Kays-Sommer said. They realize that it is a significant, long-term investment and they want to make sure it is a welcoming place for everyone, she added.
“There will be a ramped play structure for kids with mobility assist devices that will have a triple slide coming off of it. It will also have interactive panels with games and treasure hunts and that kind of thing. The whole thing will have rubber matting, which will allow grandparents and kids with mobility assist devices to move easily around the playground area. There is also a musical instrument area with music panels for sensory play. There are swings, we’re putting in a balance assisted swing along with a couple of the faster swings which could also be used for kids with mobility issues.”
The group considered upgrading or renovating the existing park, Kays-Sommer said, but with just five-years remaining on its planned lifespan, it made more sense to start fresh.
Builders with the manufacturer-installer Playworld were onsite this week along with township employees to get the ball rolling.
If the weather cooperates, the site preparation will take place over the next couple of weeks with the installation of the new matting and equipment to follow next month.
