NEWS RELEASE
CITY OF THUNDER BAY
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THUNDER BAY – The City of Thunder Bay celebrated the official grand opening of the newly reconstructed Centennial Park Playground on Tuesday on-site with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The project budget was $700,000, and is located between the Chalet and the farm amongst the existing forest and natural landscape. It utilizes wood log structures for the playground and features a zip line, a three pod climbing area with slides, climbers, swings and a well-hidden Wolf Den among many other features. There is also space to lay in a hammock and for a family picnic. Removal of the old play area structures began in summer 2020 and the playground redesign is a result of extensive public engagement that took place in 2019.
“We are really proud of this new park, and hope to see it very well-used for years to come,” said Werner Schwar, Supervisor – Parks & Open Spaces Planning. “The Woodland Adventure theme really suits Centennial Park’s forested setting, and respects the nostalgia of the previously removed structures. It has new and challenging elements that you don’t see in a lot of our parks and pushes older children to really explore it and utilize their climbing and balancing skills.”
He added that although the walkways and playground surfacing are accessible and there are some play elements for very young children and those with mobility issues, the playground is primarily designed for children ages 5 and up.
A fully accessible playground for children of all ages will be opening next week at Boulevard Lake Park. The Jumpstart playground is over 1,100m2 (11,000 square feet) and will be the largest inclusive play space in Thunder Bay and the third Jumpstart Playground in the province.
