By Mark Squibb/August 19, 2021
With the federal and provincial governments chipping in, the City of Mount Pearl plans to transform the St. David’s Avenue playground into a fully accessible facility.
The new playground will be built on an accessible rubber surface, and feature two new play structures, improved lighting, and two new gender-neutral washrooms. The playground will also feature a Biba Smart Park Add-on, an application that children can use to play augmented reality games. The add on also tracks important metrics such as peak hours, days of usage, weather impacts, and equipment condition.
Mayor Dave Aker and councillors Isabell Fry and Bill Antle were joined by St. John's South-Mount Pearl MP Seamus O‘Regan and provincial Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Elvis Loveless on Wednesday, August 12, when they announced the news at the site of the current playground.
The makeover, along with enhancements to the surrounding greenspace, is expected to cost some $963,695. Of that, Mount Pearl will pay the lion’s share of $661,402, while both the federal and provincial governments will contribute roughly $151,000 each.
"Today, we are making an important investment in an accessible playground that will provide safe inclusive play space for children to inspire their imaginations and encourage time spent outside,” said Aker. “This exciting initiative continues to build on our city's commitment to diversity and inclusion. The improved lighting and addition of two gender-neutral washrooms further enhance these upgrades to St. David's Park."
