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Wood School builds playground addition

Three years of PAC fundraising comes to fruition for students
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Parents and students alike work on the playground addition at Wood School, which includes this maypole—which will spin when fully assembled. SUSAN QUINN PHOTO

Parents from the Wood School Parent Advisory Council (PAC) spent their weekend in record-breaking heat constructing a playground in behind the school on Wood Avenue in Port Alberni.

The play structure represents three years’ worth of fundraising by the PAC, and is eagerly anticipated by neighbourhood children, PAC spokesperson Alina Hiltz said.

“When we were told we were no longer in threat of a school closure the PAC started putting money aside,” she said. In three years they raised $15,000, and last June were able to purchase playground equipment. It has taken them until now to organize the construction. School District 70 grounds crews helped with site preparation.

“They’ve been awesome,” she said.

The new structure is a climbing bar structure with monkey bars and a separate spinning maypole. The pad is 18 metres by 10.5 metres including the fall zones and will be covered in wood chips (there is a gravel base).

The new playground is an addition for the school. “This structure we have right now is only used for Kindergarten classes,” Hiltz said. “Our bigger kids aren’t able to use it. We have too many kids and not enough equipment.”

Just as the Wood School PAC was planning a building weekend, the provincial government announced that EJ Dunn will receive $105,000 in funding for a school playground. Hiltz said the two situations are different. “There are no hard feelings for it,” she said. “EJ Dunn is without a playground…we’re super happy they’re getting a playground.”

Wood’s playground should open by Friday, May 18.

editor@albernivalleynews.com

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Students watch patiently as parents and friends of Wood School construct the playground addition the Parent Advisory Council purchased. SUSAN QUINN PHOTO


Susie Quinn

About the Author: Susie Quinn

A journalist since 1987, I proudly serve as the Alberni Valley News editor.
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