Grand Opening! Come Celebrate With Us!
Where? Shirley Macey Park, 930 Chamberlin Rd. 2 blocks from Reed Rd., next to Soames Hill.
When? Saturday, June 12, 1pm – 3pm
Who? Bring the whole family, swimsuits and towels to this fun outdoor event! There will be games, nature interpretation and other fun kid’s activities.
For further information call SCRD Parks Secretary, Geri Gelineau at 604.885.6802 ext 0 or email geri.gelineau@scrd.ca
Let's Play—a partnership of the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Province of British Columbia, inspired the expansion of the original proposed project. The expansion includes a modest water feature, a multi-sensory maze garden with ‘please-touch-and-climb’ sculpted art and native plant species, sand play area, wheelchair-accessible paths, viewing decks and picnic tables, and rejuvenation of bog, with child-friendly interpretive signage throughout.
If you missed the Community Meeting on June 30, 2009, and are interested in learning more about the project, read on. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact Sheila at 604-886-0766 (email sheila_k_ba@hotmail.com) or Larissa at 604-886-9887 (email hsiawilcock@hotmail.com).
ABOUT ‘LET’S PLAY’
- Let’s Play is dedicated to ensuring that young children with physical disabilities have the same opportunities for play as their peers. All children need to play. It’s essential for their physical, social and emotional well-being. Through play, they learn about themselves and their world, and lay the foundation for a healthy, happy future.
- Accessible play spaces are inclusive—they welcome children of all abilities to play together. These spaces ensure that children with disabilities don’t miss out on important opportunities for social interaction and physical activity. They also allow parents and caregivers with physical disabilities to be nearby and play with their children.
- Accessible play spaces welcome children and caregivers with disabilities in, rather than leaving them on the sidelines. They provide a variety of play opportunities for children of all abilities and emphasize shared play.
- When planning an accessible play space, Let’s Play recommends: consider both natural and manufactured play elements. Develop a space that engages children with their natural surroundings. Creative features that stimulate the senses, such as water and sand play areas, scent gardens, wind chimes and winding pathways, are particularly effective at fostering inclusive play. They are also very inviting to younger children, who play and learn with all five senses.
ABOUT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY
- Many Sunshine Coast playgrounds have a pea-gravel base which is impossible to traverse on wheels.
- It is important to promote accessibility as we develop our community for the future
- Playground surface is unitary poured-in-place rubber, fully wheelchair accessible
- Minimum path width for singular wheelchair is 36”, we will exceed this standard
- Ideal minimum width for pathways is 60”, our paths and viewing deck will meet this standard
- Maximum rise on slope to viewing deck 1:12, we will meet this standard
- For wheelchair accessible play equipment components, please see applicable section below
ABOUT THE WATER FEATURE
- A modest design - round pad, 15’ diameter with 2.5’ extra splash zone
- Designed with 0-6yrs age range in mind, volume of water flow will be minimal
- Fully field programmable – will run several different sequences
- When not in use, feature automatically times out/shuts off
- Children activate water by stepping or wheeling over ground sensor
- Hours/days/months of operation will be set by SCRD to reflect water conservation
- Feature is designed to provide entertainment in the water-off season
- Squamish nation art will be sandblasted into water feature pad
- Casts of true fossils from the Royal Tyrrell Museum are embedded in water feature pad
- Look-and-find bilingual (English/French) signage will encourage kids to learn about the fossils
ABOUT THE SAND PLAY AREA
- Wheelchair-accessible sand table will support inclusive and shared play
- Ground sand play area will be surrounded by boulders for natural look
- A wooden carved castle inspires imaginative play
ABOUT THE GARDEN MAZE
- Wheelchair-accessible path minimum width of 60”
- Focus is on non-poisonous, edible, scented, tactile, interesting plantings
- Native species plants have been planted throughout
- Some non-native species may be used to enhance the use of five senses
- Bilingual (Latin/English) signage will identify plant species
- Locally sculpted art pieces will encourage children to touch and climb
- Sign at maze entrance will challenge children to find all the sculptures
ABOUT THE FROG HABITAT
- Shirley Macey Park, part of Soames Park, used to be all forest and farm. With the creation of the field, an engineered swale was constructed to help with drainage. Residents of the neighbourhood often hear frog mating calls in the swale in the spring months. Unfortunately, the swale did not retain water for long enough to support the growth of tadpoles in this area. This is not an ideal location for a frog habitat because it is surrounded by road, driveway, playing field, and playground (formerly parking lot)—nowhere to hop! However, it is a great opportunity to protect a beloved part of Shirley Macey Park while creating educational awareness.
- Our intention was to help the species by removing non-native invasive grasses and creating a more supportive wetland environment within the swale area. We created a small pond in the center of the swale while leaving much of the outlying brush intact as a protective dry land habitat for the frogs. We added plantings to the bush-protected frog hopping corridor and look forward to their growth.
- A raised viewing deck (wheelchair-accessible) will provide an opportunity for people to view the pond without contaminating it with potentially harmful human bacteria. Bilingual (English/French) signage will identify frog species and encourage children, adults and pet owners to be more respectful of the frog’s challenges for survival. It is our sincere hope that others will be inspired by our efforts and will work to create more habitats for amphibians in locations better suited for their continued survival.
- A biological assessment report about the swale was completed by David Bates in the spring of 2009. A consultation has taken place with interested community members including Annette Clarke, volunteer project coordinator for Halfmoon Bay frog pond project, and Daniel Bouman, executive director of the Sunshine Coast Conservation Society, and Canteris Hartley, a nearby resident of the park area.
- Biologist Annette Clarke has done assessments and restoration/conservation work for the last 15 years and is guiding the creation of pond/habitat at Shirley Macey Park.
- Volunteers are appreciated. If you are interested in becoming a "Friend of the SMP Wetland", please contact Canteris Hartley at 604-886-3301 or email canteris@hotmail.com
- To learn more about frogs, read this great informational article from the Vancouver Aquarium. http://www.vanaqua.org/frogs/Waters-FrogsForever.html
The new design based on community feedback
Play space rendering - click here to enlarge image
Playground equipment purchased - click here to enlarge image
This equipment offers challenges for all levels of ability.
Components compliant with American Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines:
- pour-in-place rubber surfacing
- infinity web with rope climber
- wheelchair transfer station
- wide steel slide
- animal crawl-thru panel
- tap-a-tune reach panel
- rainy days weather station
- bongo panel
- vehicle reach panel
- periscope panel
- ladybug spring rider
- therapeutic rings
- arched chain climber
- 7-station play factory (moving gears, talk tubes...)
Other components: - red quantum slide
- bumblebee spring rider
- telescope panel
We have over $140,100 in donations thanks to the Blackfish Pub fundraiser, the Stevenson’s family dance fundraiser, Wheatberries Christmas cookie promotion, coin can collections and financial contributions from:
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Thank you to Allen and Maria Stevenson for hosting the Family Dance fundraiser on July 18/09. We enjoyed the music, the dancing, the food and refreshments, watching kids play in the evening sun, and a great evening of great people coming together. The dance raised over $600 for the play park. Big thanks also to Larissa, Sam, Georgia Strait Coffee and the Wilson Creek Shell station for generous contributions to the silent auction.
In spite of the snow on December 17/08, the Blackfish Pub event raised $1,287.50. A huge thanks goes out to Steph, the Blackfish staff, helpers Charlotte, Mark, Mary and these silent auction contributors:
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Thank you to all the volunteers. Your donation of time, effort and funds was most appreciated.
West Howe Sound Community Association
Celia Preusse
Buz Straw
Peter and Astrid Beyser
Cliff and Valerie Ryden
Sierra and Kalla Ryden
Gus Goerzen
Jan Poynter
Wayne from AC Electronics
Mark Giltrow
Canada World Youth, Phil and Euan
Natalie Clark and family
Lee Reichmuth
Gerd Nolte
Shawn Cardwell
Brent Berry
Paul Cameron
Laurenne Karmel
Allen and Maria Stevenson and family
Mark, Jane, Brianna and Maren Yellowley
Michelle Hartley
Mark Lebbell, Kaia Neilson
Nyle, Mari and Carston
Jim and Louise
Aubrey and Magdalene
Kylie and Lucy Hutchinson
Georgina Brandon
James, Felix and Gonggong Graham
Kathy Reid
Bill and Luka Chalmers
Carol and Allan Cameron
Mary Burns
Jenna Knight
Annette Clarke
Canteris Hartley
Daniel Bouman
Dianne Sanford
Odessa and Dave Bromley
Casey’s Country Gardens
Scott Bleackley
Joy Craddock
Anna Lumiere
Pam Wotherspoon
Jacoba Van Dyk
Susan Goddard
Ian Thomson
Spider Elementary
Coast Cable – Marlene Lowden
Galen Wilson
Jai Aguirre
Todd Jason Baker
Jim Harding
The Local and The Coast Reporter
Radio CKAY 91.7 FM
Sunshine Coast Community Services Society
Ray Audet Excavating
Royal Tyrrell Museum
Seabird Rentals
Gibsons liquor store
Gibsons bottle depot
Athletes World
Gibsons and Area Community Centre
Hallmark Cards
IGA and Super Valu till tape program and
everyone who contributed their grocery receipts
Tammy and staff at Gibsons parent and tot drop-in
Lisa and Carolyn at www.coastparents.ca
Dave Chisolm at www.suncoastcentral.com
Earth Day organizer, Sheila Wilson
Fiddlehead Farmer’s Market
Diane Henley and Angela Sears, Cedar Grove project
Everyone who contributed in the door-to-door campaign—every donation helped!
And anyone else we may have missed.