Accessibility park opens at the Riverbank

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This article was published 16/06/2022 (1419 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A new playground at Brandon’s Riverbank Discovery Centre is ensuring that youth of all abilities and mobility types have the option to play.

The grand opening of the Westman Dreams for Kids Accessibility Park has been two years in the making. The new accessibility park serves children and families with enhanced mobility and accessibility needs.

The project was spearheaded by the Westman Dreams for Kids Foundation, a local charity dedicated to the families and children of Westman. The non-profit looks after anyone who needs help, said president Scott Major — be it a sick kid, a child with a disability or a youth needing any kind of aid.

“We heard from a number of families that they would love to have given their kids a place to go play at a park, and we just took that to the next step,” Major said.

Westman Dreams For Kids took this message to heart and began searching the Brandon community for an appropriate space, along with sponsors who could help make the installation a reality. The community “stepped up 100 per cent” to make the park possible.

The total cost of the installation for the park was just under $140,000.

The park was set to have a grand opening in May 2020, but the event was continually postponed due to COVID-19 before officially taking place on June 5.

The park itself has been functional and usable for youth in the community for a couple of years.

Planning out the playground was a unique experience, Major said, and the big project was embraced by members of Westman Dreams for Kids. Organizers spoke with families to help unpack and plan what the park would look like.

“We just felt like it was the perfect fit for us and to attach our name too.”

Planners sat down with PlayQuest Recreation over several meetings to design a play structure based on the space available, what was the most inclusive choice and available funding.

“It’s set up for everybody whether you’re in a wheelchair, or have some autistic tendencies — we have things for sound and touch. We have merry-go-rounds built for a wheelchair to go into. We have a special rubber flooring,” Major said.

“It’s totally manoeuvrable for all wheelchairs.”

The merry-go-round is his favourite piece of the park, he added, because it has proven to be a hit in the community. It has a unique design because the merry-go-round is at ground level and surrounded by rubber flooring, helping to ensure the safety of users.

Major is pleased because the need for inclusivity is being embraced in Brandon and other accessible parks are now available in different areas of the city, providing more options for play — including an accessibility park created by the Brandon Kiwanis Club in the city’s east end.

He expects as these projects take root, ideas for inclusivity will grow in the Wheat City.

Westman Dreams for Kids is getting back into a normal routine now that COVID-19 public health restrictions are coming to an end, he said. The charity recently hosted the Children’s Country Fair on June 5 and are now planning for the annual Westman Dreams for Kids McDonald’s Classic.

The tournament takes place at Wheat City Golf Course on July 14 with major sponsorship from McDonald’s.

The golf tournament serves as the biggest fundraiser for the non-profit, he said, and its absence has been missed for the past two years.

“Without fundraising and without the support of our community we cease to exist,” Major said. “We’re only as good as our supporters, and we have some pretty fantastic supporters.”

The accessibility park has proven to be a popular addition to the city’s largest green space, said Riverbank Discovery Centre general manager James Montgomery.

“There’s a whole bunch of things that are really cool for kids and everything is sensory and mobility friendly,” Montgomery said.

The vision for the infrastructure first began when Montgomery started working at the Riverbank Discovery Centre in 2018. The park was a great spot for the playground as the Riverbank had the perfect amount of space available for the structure that was going unused.

“We jumped at the opportunity to accept the playground here,” Montgomery said. “It’s accessible for all kids regardless of abilities … It’s just been a really great addition to the Riverbank for families, for small children, for kids with disabilities or any ability.”

It was important to install the Westman Dream for Kids Accessibility Park, he said, because it is a structure that can be used by everyone.

“We just really think that’s important to be inclusive to the whole community,” Montgomery said.

“We’re an important community asset here, so we just really want to provide as many things as we can to as many people as we can.”

The accessibility park has been busy all year round, he said, but especially in the summer. On a typical day, it is always in use and he will see families having a “spectacular time,” which is heartwarming to witness.

“The Riverbank is a community effort and without partnerships like this, we can’t do a whole lot,” Montgomery said.

“We really appreciate the playground being placed here and being donated to the Riverbank. We’re really hoping that people will come out and enjoy it this summer.”

» ckemp@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @The_ChelseaKemp