Students, staff and parents in a small Foothills school are getting closer to reaching their dream of creating a park that’s accessible to all.
Turner Valley School principal James Holladay said the parent and teacher association is close to the $80,000 mark in its campaign to raise the $800,000 needed to transform the school grounds into a 16,000 square-foot wheelchair accessible recreational space called Legacy Park.
“The momentum is picking up,” said Holladay. “Whatever amount we get to in December we are going to commit to in the next year.”
The association launched a crowd funding campaign Dare to Dream a year ago to raise the money.
Holladay said the association is waiting on some grants and is planning fundraisers over the next few weeks to get the shovel in the ground.
Legacy Park will include ramps, a net climber, sand box, castle structure and swings with wheelchair accessible ramps to access the equipment, adding to the school’s existing playground structure.
The new park will feature a concrete boulevard with trees and picnic tables, as well as a history wall with panels showing the history of the region, province and country over the last century.
“We are the only school in the town so to have a playground that’s accessible to all students, whether they go to our school or not, is an opportunity to further develop our town and make it a better place to hang out and have fun,” he said. “We are going to keep the momentum going.”
The funding campaign received a boost when the Western Financial Group Turner Valley branch donated the $3,218.25 it raised during its inaugural Diamond Valley Shoot Out Ball Hockey Tournament in June.
Representatives presented a cheque to the school on Sept. 30 during an assembly.
“It feels amazing to be able to support the community and to be able to contribute to the school park, which is used by all kids in the town,” said Kay Mbaso, branch manager. “The majority of my staff live out here and have kids in the school.”
Mbaso said Western Financial Group has donated to various charities in Black Diamond and Turner Valley. The ball hockey tournament was a way to continue that support, she said.
“We chose this charity in particular because the park needs to be upgraded and they are going to make it wheelchair accessible for kids as well, which is really important,” she said.
In addition to the Western Financial donation, Wawanesa Mutual Insurance, which is represented by the financial group, donated $10,500 towards the park.
“Western Financial Group asked us to donate something and for us it’s about supporting the community in which our brokers are in,” said Phyllis Vavra, senior business development representative. “Wawanesa likes to contribute to communities where our staff and partners work and live and Turner Valley is one of our valued partners.”
To learn more about Legacy Park or to make a donation go to fnd.us/c/6wt45
