The Tamarac Education Centre Playground Committee received support from Port Hawkesbury Town Council in its effort to rebuild the playground at the school.
During last night’s public meeting, committee chair Karen MacKinnon said the current state of the playground area is “pretty sad” as wooden structures that were once on the site were removed about four years ago.
Once the equipment was removed, MacKinnon said there was no plan to replace it and “minimal equipment remains.”
After that, MacKinnon said the committee was given $5,000 to upgrade the playground, but that was insufficient since most playgrounds cost $150,000 or more.
Not only is this a loss for the school and students, MacKinnon said the community is losing out as there are no play spaces in that part of the town.
Tamarac Education Centre (Strait Regional Centre for Education photo)
This playground is connected to the Port Hawkesbury Community Trail system and the site hosts track and field competitions, noted MacKinnon.
With support from the school’s administration and staff, the committee chair said the group has two main roles, fundraising and advocacy.
To raise money, MacKinnon said her group has organized popcorn sales, a road race during the Festival of the Strait, a bingo, a yard sale, a silent auction, a Christmas concert, and multiple 50-50 draws. She said they are also starting a GoFundMe page to get donations from the public and will be hosting a benefit concert at the SAERC auditorium on April 5.
The committee chair said local businesses and industry have been generous with donations but those sources of funding have been “tapped out.”
As for grants, MacKinnon said they don’t qualify for those types of funding because they don’t meet the criteria.
In her opinion, MacKinnon said they should qualify for capital funding from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Education.
MacKinnon said the committee has contacted the department and been active on social media in getting their message out.
MacKinnon said it’s “unfair and inequitable” that other communities and schools in Nova Scotia have better access than the students at TEC and the children who live in that area.
The committee was in regular contact with former Inverness MLA Allan MacMaster, said MacKinnon, who encouraged them to apply for a Recreation Facilities Grant, with the deadline to apply coming on Feb. 14. She said they plan on meeting with the new MLA, Kyle MacQuarrie.
To build the playground, MacKinnon said the committee is looking at doing that work in stages, and they have raised $45,000 to start this work. She said they are planning to build up those funds to continue their work in the coming years.
In response to the committee’s request, town council agreed to provide a letter of support for the committee for its grant application, as well as advocate for the project with organizations, agencies, foundations, and other levels of government.
As far as financial support, Mayor Brenda Chisholm Beaton said that’s a decision that would have to be part of the town’s upcoming budget deliberations.