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Creston students to enjoy new playground this fall

A huge upgrade has been added to the school grounds at Adam Robertson Elementary
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Volunteers worked on construction of the playground on Aug. 3. (Photo by Kelsey Yates)

Students at Adam Robertson Elementary School will be treated to a new playground as they return to class this fall.

In early August, volunteers from the Parent Advisory Council (PAC) came together to complete construction on the estimated $180,000 project.

The funds mostly came from Ministry of Education grants, as well as $5,000 collected through community fundraising.

“The really fun thing about it is that we had multiple companies bid on the project. Once PAC narrowed it down to two, then we actually let the kids vote on which playground they wanted,” said project manager Lauriane Mehrer. “I think they really felt connected to the fact that they picked the winning playground.”

Some of the new features include handicap-accessible saucer swings, a climbing structure, and an interactive canoe piece.

The new playground at Adam Robertson Elementary School. (Photo by Kelsey Yates)
The new playground at Adam Robertson Elementary School. (Photo by Kelsey Yates)

“There is a lot more accessibility to reach a broader span of children with different motor function abilities,” said Mehrer.

“The whole unit is cohesive for the kids to move from one side to the other without touching the ground, so that’s really fun too.”

After working on construction for the Wynndel playground last year, Mehrer also volunteered to see this project to completion, utilizing her background in construction.

READ MORE: Wynndel community members celebrate new playground

“I got the base idea of how to do this from the Wynndel project, so that was kind of the first experiment,” said Mehrer. “I had the ability and the time to jump in and take this on.”

For the last 10 years, many parents in the community had talked about the need for a new playground, and they’re thrilled to see it come to fruition.

“We’re just really grateful for all the community support because every single company we are dealing with is giving us a discount,” Mehrer said.

In less than a week, PAC volunteers turned the empty field into a kid’s paradise. School staff also got their hands dirty with construction, including the principal, vice principal, and several teachers.

The completed structure is now ready for kids to enjoy, just in time for back to school.

The new playground at Adam Robertson Elementary School. (Photo by Kelsey Yates)
The new playground at Adam Robertson Elementary School. (Photo by Kelsey Yates)


Kelsey Yates

About the Author: Kelsey Yates

Kelsey Yates has had a lifelong passion for newspapers and storytelling. Originally from Alberta, she graduated from SAIT Polytechnic's journalism program in 2016.
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