Playground Projects

The playground projects began in 1994 when the City was being forced to remove aging wooden playgrounds and didn't have funds to replace them. The first was built in Canatara Park at a cost of $85,000.00. The handicap accessible structure took four months to plan and build. The Club approached City Council with a request to borrow the money interest-free with a five year payback.

It was quite a sales pitch to get the City to lend a 28 member Rotary Club $85,000.00 so it could build a playground and take years to repay the money.

This had never been done before.

The Club not only repaid every penny but did so in just three years using proceeds from its annual Chilifest, and later Pumpkinfest along with monthly bingo.

Councillors were impressed, so much so that when the Club approached to build another playground in Germain Park approval was instantaneous.

Since then, the Rotary Club has built playgrounds in Mike Weir and Centennial Parks.

In each case the money was borrowed from the City with short paybacks.

The current playground in Centennial was built in the summer of 2007. The Club will have it paid off next year.

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