Skip to content

City gets funds to help energize city parks

Program aimed at promoting physical activity in children at city parks
20170520 liz sandals
Guelph MPP Liz Sandals announces a $111,000 grant to help encourage active play in Guelph parks Friday, May 19, 2017, at City Hall. Tony Saxon/GuelphToday

Guelph has been given $111,000 to help boost physical activity in up to 12 city parks.

The funding, announced at City Hall Friday by Guelph MPP Liz Sandals, is for "park activation," a project aimed at providing and enhancing physical activity for children up to 12 years old in public parks.

"It's about providing recreational opportunities that any child can access," Sandals said.

The program could range from providing interactive building blocks for young children to city staff organizing a game of dodge ball.

"It's an opportunity to learn how to use the park and recreational equipment and to be more active," Sandals said.

Eric Pool, project specialist for the city initiative Energize Guelph that was launched last year, said the money could will be used for imaginative play equipment and to provide park staff to help initialize play activity.

Pool said it's about spontaneous play, "loose park" play and some portable types of play equipment such as imagination blocks, Frisbees and balls.

"Equipment that it takes imagination to put something into," Pool said.

He added that parents also like the fact that city staff are on hand to help organize and oversee the activities.

A pilot project was done last summer. This money will allow the project to increase up to eight parks this summer and 12 next summer.

Activities are programmed six days a week.

Mayor Cam Guthrie applauded the initiative, saying that the project will help 900 children be active in city parks.

 


Comments

Verified reader

If you would like to apply to become a verified commenter, please fill out this form.




Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
Read more