THUNDER BAY – A large sponsorship will up-size plans to rebuild a more accessible playground at Boulevard Lake.
Thunder Bay’s city council on Monday approved a gift agreement that will see Jumpstart, a charity associated with Canadian Tire, contribute $750,000 toward construction of a new playground at the park that staff say will set a new standard for inclusive play.
The city will pick up remaining costs for site preparation and connecting paths estimated at $250,000.
Councillors praised the agreement as an example of the possibilities of public-private partnerships Monday, hoping the money saved on the rebuild could now support other improvements at Boulevard Lake or elsewhere in the city.
The new playground will be larger (estimated at 11,000 square feet) and feature accessible design elements meant to support play for a full range of abilities and ages.
The current raised sand surface, no longer compliant with requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), will be replaced with a rubber surface, while other playground elements like ground-level features and double-wide ramps will also be wheelchair-friendly.
The playground design, which is provided by Jumpstart under the agreement, is also meant to accommodate those with sensory and developmental disabilities, offering quiet zones and sensory play.
The design also resembles the Canadian Tire logo, something supervisor of parks and open space planning Werner Schwar said still needed some review.
“The proposed design with the logo of Canadian Tire… would need further discussion at council moving forward in terms of if that contravenes any bylaws in terms of advertising in city parks,” he said. As far as I know right now it doesn’t, but I think that would have to be further investigated.”
Councillors expressed no concerns over the corporate branding, with Coun. Aldo Ruberto saying the city should pursue more sponsorships.
The current playground is nearing end of life, staff said, and was planned for replacement in 2023 at an estimated cost of $800,000. With the gift and pre-design from Jumpstart, construction would be accelerated to 2022.
The charity's design is larger and boasts better accessibility features than what the city would have planned, said Schwar.
Savings from the agreement could support other improvements at Boulevard, with a report from city staff suggesting adult fitness stations, a beach volleyball court, or accessible beach access as possibilities.
The proposed playground design will be reviewed by the city’s Accessibility Advisory Committee before being finalized, Schwar said.
The city’s $250,000 contribution, which staff suggested could be drawn from the Renew Thunder Bay reserve fund, will be included for council approval in the draft 2022 municipal budget.
A motion to approve the agreement with Jumpstart was passed unanimously Monday.
