Students at Red Deer Lake School finally got the chance to enjoy their new playground Wednesday.
After planning, grant writing and many fundraisers, the project has finally reached completion.
Playground committee chair and special education teacher Lindsay Flynn said the new structure has allowed the school to double its place space.
"It's been a long time coming, two-and-a-half years of hard work," she said. "So, to see it go up in the last two weeks and how excited the kids have been to watch it go up and standing at the fence waiting, to see that fence come down today and have them run out and play on it, it's a pretty awesome feeling."
The new play structure is accessible and inclusive to all students, including those with sensory, social and mobility accommodations.
With a recycled-tire surface flush to existing concrete, students using wheelchairs are able to enter and peruse the playground as they wish. A 'buddy bus' has room for one wheelchair and two others to bounce and rock together, followed by accessible stairs that lead to a slide, a gazebo with various play panels at appropriate sitting height and free-standing musical instruments. Other features include monkey bars, gliders and other climbing structures.
Teddi Labrash, a learning coach at the school, said having an accessible playground addresses the varying needs of its diverse population.
"It removes those barriers so students with all differing abilities can play together and thrive together," she said. "It provides such a sensory rich experience for them."
Labrash works closely with a student who uses a wheelchair that was unable to use the existing playground because of the different levels of grass, pavement and recycled tires which made it difficult to navigate.
"We usually just take him to the cusp where he can observe everybody playing and this gives him the opportunity to join in," she said. "It's a great opportunity for him to go out and enjoy, I think this is a dream for him.
"He's been watching his class play for quite some time and now he's out here enjoying it himself."
Principal Derek Markides praised the work of school council which brought the project to life.
"The smiles on the kids' faces as they come running out of the building, it's just great," he said. "I mean, it's a legacy project for generations."
Foothills School Divison Ward 3 Trustee and board chair, Theresa Letendre, echoed the sentiment
"It's so heartwarming to watch the little Grade 3-ers going out and everyone in the class could play," she said.
Everyone agreed the project was very much a team effort and was greatly elevated by a grant received through the Province's Community Facilities Enhancement Program. Many residents and businesses in the community also made generous donations.
"This wouldn't have been possible without the support of our Red Deer Lake School families and community," said Flynn.
More than $45,600 was raised for the project through a GoFundMe page, while $217,900 was contributed from casino fundraising profits and grants, according to the school council's website.
With the school so close to Calgary and other areas of Foothills County, Markides said the structure will be well-loved and well-used inside of school hours and out.
