This coming school year, youth at Isabella Dicken Elementary School (EIDES) in Fernie will have even more options to exercise.
The Parental Advisory Committee (PAC) at EIDES recently put the finishing touches on a new playground at the primary school, which is now also open to the public. The committee encourages everyone to come use the new facility; whether you’re a student at the school, or a family passing through town in need of a break.
The new playground measures 82 feet long, 56 feet wide, and features a variety of equipment geared toward children in grades four and older. That being said, some of the features are more technical than the previous playground, and take on a parkour theme. The new fun zone features climbing walls, rotating spiraling monkey bars, chin up bars, climbable spider webs, and more.
This comes after PAC gathered together last September and collectively agreed that more recreation options were needed for older youth in their school. Thus started the planning to add another facility behind their school. One year later, the last load of wood chips has been delivered and the playground is ready for the upcoming school year.
It’s no secret that there is a booming population of youth in Fernie. As of two months ago, EIDES counted roughly 460 children enrolled for the upcoming 2018/19 school year.
“Last September it was brought up to the PAC that grades four to six don’t have anywhere to play,” said Tara Beck, EIDES treasurer, and a member of PAC.
Besides a big open field, parents and teachers started to notice that there wasn’t a place for the older children to play and enjoy themselves on breaks. Up until this point, the only other playground, on the other side of the building, was designed for a younger audience. This new playground, facing the track, will serve as a place for the older, more adventurous youth.
“They’re too big and there’s too many kids to be playing on the other playground, when you have kindergartens to grade three out there,” said Beck.
Last year, a grade six class put together a persuasive writing piece on why they needed a new playground, and presented it to PAC. The committee fully agreed with them, and proceeded to continue planning further.
The total cost of the playground equaled approximately $160,000.
Funding support came through the Columbia Basin Trust’s Recreation and Infrastructure Grant of $50,000, which EDIES applied for and received. A donation of $15,000 by Teck also helped in the funding of the project. The project also received the support of the RDEK Community Initiatives Grant, amounting to $7200. School District 5 (SD5) then agreed to fund the remaining cost of the project.
Asked how it feels to see the project finally come to fruition, Beck said it’s amazing.
As of Friday, August 17, the playground was finished. A grand opening of the new facility is set to take place some time during the first week of school.
