Schools get funding for new playgrounds
Days after the reopening of playgrounds across the province, Alberta Education has announced $5 million in new funding for 26 playground projects across the province, including four in Calgary.
“It is crucial, now more than ever, to help projects like these move ahead for schools and communities during these challenging times,” said Education Minister Adriana Lagrange.
“Playgrounds are extremely important to local communities and provide a place for all children to explore, develop and have fun.”
Alberta Education explained that while the funding is new, it comes from the existing capital budget and will support 18 school divisions, supplementing their fundraising efforts.
At the Calgary Board of Education, Peter Lougheed School and William D. Pratt School (grades 5 to 9 programs in the city’s northeast and northwest) will receive $250,000 for a new playground, while New Brighton School (a K-4 school in the south) will receive $100,000.
“Playgrounds are important to our schools and their communities,” said CBE chief superintendent Christopher Usih. “We are grateful to receive this additional funding and we know that the families in these school communities will be thrilled with this support.”
At the Calgary Catholic School District, Our Lady of Grace School, a K-9 school in Evanston, will receive $50,000 in funding for a new playground.
Alberta Education provides grant funding of up to $250,000 per school to support the construction of a playground for eligible projects. School communities that wish to exceed $250,000 must use fundraising to supplement the project.
Officials say additional funding is intended to address playgrounds at schools that were replaced on the same site as their original building and new school projects announced between April and December 2013 where the playground has not yet been built.
“We are pleased to see this additional money for playgrounds not previously funded,” said Brandi Rai, president of the Alberta School Councils’ Association, representing parent councils provincewide.
“Physical activity and social interaction are essential in student development and well-being. School councils often work with their parent fundraising associations for years before funding is obtained to complete playground projects that are fundamental to the school community.”
Playgrounds across Alberta were closed in late March after rising concerns around the health risks of COVID -19 and its transmission on surfaces like playground equipment.
This week, as Alberta continues to see newly reported daily cases of COVID -19 decline, playgrounds opened in Calgary and Edmonton.
Grant funding remains available to schools that have not received the playground grant to upgrade or replace an existing playground through the Community Facility Enhancement Program.
Alberta Education says any new school with K-6 programming will have funding for a playground included in its capital budget.