Earlier this year, the old play structure at Ècole St. Adolphe School (ESAS) had to be deconstructed after many decades of use. It was deemed, by a safety officer of the school division, to have reached the end of its functional life.

A group of parents has now come together to ensure that the playground is replaced, forming a fundraising committee to raise the $250,000 needed to undertake the first phase of reconstruction.

They have planned a fundraising social for September 20. The event will take place on the upper floor of the St. Adolphe arena. From 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. attendees will enjoy dancing and a DJ, a silent auction, a 50/50 draw, a bar, and a late lunch.

“It’ll be a good way for everyone to get together and have fun,” says Michelle Prairie, committee spokesperson. “It’s for a great cause and it’s our first big fundraiser, so we’re really excited for people to attend.”

How many people does Prairie hope to see there? 352, Prairie says, the venue’s maximum seating capacity.

Since the play structure is used by ESAS students ten months of the year, it is primarily parents of these students who have answered the fundraising call so far. Still, they recognize that the playground serves the whole community. Its location at the heart of St. Adolphe makes it a prime gathering place for families. It’s also the only real play structure in town outside of a smaller version that exists in Tourond Creek.

They believe the entire community will get behind their push for a true community playground.

Tickets for the fundraising social sell for $15 and are available at the school, the Esso gas station, and Caisse Populaire. Support tickets are also available for those who can’t attend but still want to contribute. A separate prize draw will be held for all those who purchase support tickets.

The committee has already secured coveted prizes for the silent auction, including Blue Bombers tickets, a blowup screen and projector for watching outdoor movies, and a barbecue package that includes a backyard arbour and grill.

Sponsorships are another way to support the event. So far, many businesses and organizations have gotten on board, including Barrtech Mechanical, the RM of Ritchot, Duke’s Burgers, Cornerstone Café, Mighty Ducts, Mach 1, the St. Adolphe Market, Richard McKenzie Insurance, and Affinity Insurance. But there’s still room for more.

The bigger sponsors will have their logo displayed on all the event advertising. Others will have their name announced from the stage throughout the evening.

If all goes as hoped, sponsorships will cover 100 percent of the overhead costs so every penny can be applied to the play structure project. Prairie says it could conceivably bring them $10,000 closer to their goal.

All donors, large and small, can receive a tax receipt through the committee’s charitable designation: Friends of the Playground. 

The social is the second fundraiser this committee has planned so far. The first took place on the opening day of school, with a Krispy Kreme donut sale that profited the committee $1,200.

They ask everyone to keep their eyes open for more fundraisers throughout the year.

Prairie says that, optimistically, all the funding could be in place by the end of this school year, allowing for the play structure to be ready for active play in time for next September.

In the meantime, a collection of outdoor toys have been placed where the old structure once stood. For this year’s elementary aged kids, it will have to do.

About the New Play Structure and Kid Zone

Prairie isn’t just a playground committee member. She’s also president of the school’s parent advisory council (PAC).

The PAC has seen the need for a new play structure for some time. Indeed, the old one had been modified time and again over the years to keep it safe for use.

This time, no amount of patching would suffice.

In June, the council called a parent meeting to discuss next steps. The fundraising committee was thus formed and they spent their summer organizing, searching for grants, and getting professional renderings drawn up.

According to Sharon Phillipe, principal of ESAS and also a member of the committee, outdoor play equipment in Manitoba is rarely a capital cost that falls on the division. Generally, these kinds of features fall into the portfolio of the PAC.

Phase one of the playground plan revolves mostly around the play structure and the surface area beneath it. A number of elements are really important to the committee, including accessibility.

“There are some play structures that are accessible by definition, where kids can make their way up to the [play area],” says Phillipe. “But they remain on the outside. Our goal is to have ramps and places where they can actually be included in the play.”

Even accessibility for adults matters, Phillipe adds.

“One of the grandparents in the area said, ‘As a grandparent, I can’t go up on the play structure. But if there were ramps and so on, I could play with my grandchildren.’”

Of course, accessibility can matter even when a person has no long-term mobility issues. Some kids live with reduced mobility when they’ve fractured a bone. Others suffer from a fear of heights, necessitating ground level play features. This means the ground surface, too, must allow for accessibility. The committee is considering a compressed wood chip product.

The next area of importance for the committee was that the structure include features that encourage physical activity for those kids who are able, such as climbing, hanging, and swinging components.

It’s harder to attach a dollar figure to the project’s second phase, since the details aren’t yet refined. It will eventually include a natural play area surrounding the structure, possibly including hills and tunnels. They also hope to include easy-access hardscaping that connects the school to the playground.

For now, the committee is grateful for each and every donation. Cheques can be dropped off at the school, made out to the Seine River School Division with a memo indicating it’s for the ESAS play structure project. Donors who give $500 or more will have their names engraved on a plaque located near the play structure once it’s erected.

But the project will require more than just money. People power is equally important.

“If there are people that want to help with the social, or someone has an idea for fundraising, send us an email,” Prairie says. “New ideas and help is always welcome.”