Port Alberni – Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA Scott Fraser said students at EJ Dunn Elementary are getting a new universally-accessible playground, thanks to $105,000 in provincial funding announced by the Premier and Minister of Education today.

“The PAC at EJ Dunn has been fundraising for a new playground for years, an unacceptable burden for parents who just want a safe and accessible place for their kids to play,” said MLA Fraser. “We said we were going to fund school playgrounds so parents could focus on their children, and our government has delivered.”

This funding is part of a new, ongoing Playground Equipment Program that will provide up to $5 million each year to school districts to purchase new or replacement playgrounds, and fulfills a central NDP campaign promise. This year, 26 schools are receiving $90,000 for a standard playground, and 25 schools are receiving $105,000 for a universally-accessible playground.

Generally, schools’ Parent Advisory Councils have to fundraise large sums of money for new and replacement playground equipment, and schools without that capability are left without playgrounds. The new fund will ensure that kids don’t have to suffer for years with inadequate or unsafe playground equipment, and that parents can focus their energy on their children’s success.

Playgrounds are important for children’s development and learning. They encourage outdoor physical activity and help students learn how to share, work together, overcome challenges and be creative. Outdoor play can help students focus and learn more effectively in the classroom.

See the Provincial news release here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018PREM0023-000863