With summer vacation in full swing, school is the last thing on students鈥� minds, however, 脡cole Desrochers and Jasper Elementary School have a new treat which might get kids excited about coming back in September.
After years of planning, the two schools unveiled the first phase of a playground project, June 28. The new structure includes monkey bars and a few other climbing and hanging options.
Planning for the three-phase project started in 2012 when the schools decided to share the space between their two buildings. The first phase cost just over $24,000 and was paid for by 脡cole Desrochers.
According to H茅l猫ne Gendron, the school鈥檚 principal, it already had some money put away for a new structure before the two schools decided to collaborate on the project.
鈥淭he intent for this structure was to make it match the current playground,鈥� said Gendron. 鈥淚t is important to think of this structure as a part of the whole playground because it doesn鈥檛 just belong to one school or the other.
鈥淚t鈥檚 ours and it鈥檚 theirs鈥攚e don鈥檛 have a French side and an English side. It鈥檚 for all students.鈥�
The final two phases for the playground are expected to cost more than $123,000. In 2014, parents from both 脡cole Desrochers and Jasper Elementary School started fundraising to cover the expenses.
鈥淩ight now we have a vision to bring more structures to the other end of the playground鈥攖oward Geikie Street,鈥� said outgoing JES principal Raymond Blanchette-Dub茅. 鈥淪ince the old high school was torn down we don鈥檛 have anything in that area for the kids to play on.
鈥淏asically we want to have a flow of activities from one end of the school yard to the other end.鈥�
While the intent for phase one was to match the new playground with other equipment that is already there, both Gendron and Blanchette-Dub茅 said they are eyeing something different for the remaining two phases, which could include more natural elements such as sand, water, wood and plants.
It鈥檚 not clear when the final two phases will be completed and it will depend on funding.
In February, parents from both schools started writing grant applications to fund the final phases.
鈥淚n the fall we are going to have a bigger group of people to share the workload and share the fundraising responsibilities,鈥� Gendron said. 鈥淭his is a big collaboration between both schools.鈥�
Once the playground is completed a plaque will be installed to thank all of the people who donated to the playground.
Kayla Byrne
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