City council's meeting was held online via Zoom on Monday. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

In the chambers

Natural Play Space at Centennial Park expected to see expansion

Jun 23, 2020 | 9:19 AM

The Natural Play Space playground in North Battleford is expected to expand this summer for phase two of the project.

Battlefords Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECIP) executive director Colleen Sabraw gave an update at North Battleford council Monday via Zoom.

She said the board of directors hope to install two more items: a Mommy-and-Me swing, and what is known as a Wheelchair Swing for children with disabilities.

The Wheelchair Swing makes the play space inclusive for all children.

“That was something we had dreamt about having,” Sabraw said.

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The benefit of the Mommy-and-Me swing is that it allows a child to sit facing his or her parent, which encourages bonding, and may help reduce some of the fear the child may be feeling.

The proposed budget for the Wheelchair Swing is $25,000; the Mommy and Me Swing, also known as an Expression Swing, $3,000; and the installation is estimated at $5,000.

The group reported the cost for these two additions would be supported with surplus funds from the Ministry of Education and the First Nations Inuit Health Branch.

The organization’s only ask to the city was for the parks manager, Gordon Whitton, to oversee the installation of the new equipment at the play space, located at Centennial Park.

The teepee at the natural-space playground may need some repairs. Crews temporarily removed the structure after some minor damage was noticed last year.

Sabraw said a sacred pipe-ceremony will be held when the teepee is returned to the site.

Council approved the resolution to accept the proposal for the expansion and have the parks manager provide ongoing safety inspections of the space, as well as oversee the installation of the two new pieces of play equipment.

City councillor Kevin Steinborn commended Sabraw on the success of natural play-space project that was started two years ago.

“It’s great for the community, and I’ll continue supporting your initiative,” he said. “You have done a fabulous job.”

The project began as a partnership between Battlefords ECIP and the city.

The organizers hope to further expand the site for the new equipment later this summer, following the organization’s audit in the days ahead.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW