A playground that will be accessible to kids with disabilities will be built in northeast Edmonton, thanks to a donation by Canadian Tire’s charity Jumpstart.
The City of Edmonton announced Tuesday the plan to build the inclusive playground in Clareview District Park, which is adjacent to the Clareview Community Recreation Centre.
The 16,000 square foot playground will be the largest of its kind in Edmonton, and will include features like double-wide ramps, a roller slide, a bucket seat with harness swing, and a quiet zone designed for children with spectrum disorders.
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The city said the structure will have spaces for kids of all ages and abilities, facilitating what is referred to as “parallel play,” which is when young children play alongside other kids, but don’t interact or try to influence one another’s behaviour.
“We encourage Edmontonians of all ages, abilities and interests to enjoy the benefits of physical activity, and play is one of the creative ways to do this,” Mayor Don Iveson said in a statement.
The playground structure was gifted by Jumpstart to the city, thanks to donations from Edmonton Canadian Tire dealers.
Jumpstart helps underprivileged children participate in a variety of sports and the playground donation is part of the charity’s Inclusive Play Project, which the city said focuses on removing accessibility barriers to sport and play.
“I thank Jumpstart Charities for bringing their inclusive playground project to Edmonton, we look forward to celebrating this new play opportunity together,” Iveson added.
This will be the second Jumpstart Playground built in Alberta — the other is in Calgary — and the ninth built across Canada.
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“Jumpstart strives to give all kids the chance to reach their full potential through access to sport and recreation,” Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities president Scott Fraser said.
“The City of Edmonton has been a steadfast supporter of our mandate, and we are thrilled that together, we can help countless more kids by building an inclusive space where kids of all abilities can play together.”
The city said the Jumpstart Playground will also serve as a platform to develop new inclusive programming through Promoting Inclusive Play in Alberta — a three-year program being led by the University of Alberta’s Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement.
The Jumpstart projects in Edmonton and Calgary will serve as venues for developing this valuable programming, a news release said.
The Jumpstart’s Inclusive Play Project aims to help kids overcome physical barriers to sport and play, supported by a five-year, $50 million fundraising commitment from the Canadian Tire Corporation. Cash raised in each Jumpstart chapter stays within the community.
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The city did not say when construction on the park would be complete.