The Office of the Premier announced $8 million for playgrounds at B.C. schools earlier this month. The initial round of funding, totalling $2.2 million, was earmarked for 44 schoolsnone of which are in Vancouver.
The provincial government stated its working with school districts and parent advisory committees (PACs) to identify schools that had playgrounds built this year, which may benefit from up to $50,000 in reimbursements from the remaining pool of just under $6 million. Any funds left after that money has been dispensed will go towards upgrading or replacing equipment at existing public school playgrounds.
It remains unclear, however, when and how the future rounds of funding will be doled out or whether districts or parent groups will be awarded the money.
In recent years, the Courier covered numerous stories about Vancouver PACs scrambling to raise money to replace playground equipmentparents, not districts, cover the expense that can hit upwards of $50,000, sometimes even $100,000 depending on how elaborate the apparatus.
Fundraising campaigns at many schools kicked off in earnest in 2010 when the Vancouver School Board sent warning letters to 24 schools advising them their playground equipment would be removed within three months to two years based on condition.
Parents groups and supporters staged fundraisers, solicited donations from families and businesses, and applied for grants.
Thunderbird elementary, an East Side elementary school thats been without a playground on its grounds since the summer of 2009, cobbled $30,000 together to purchase a small playground thanks to a teacher-led fundraising campaign that ended this summer. Located at 2325 Cassiar St. across from a large social housing project, Thunderbird has a diverse student body, including immigrants and refugees whose families cant afford large financial donations. The school only holds one fundraiser annually so as not to tax the community too much.
The $30,000 it raised enabled it to order playground equipment in August. It hasnt arrived yet, although the school hopes to install it this fall.
VSB spokesperson Kurt Heinrich told the Courier the district submitted a school playground status list to the provincial government last month. There arent any Vancouver schools currently lacking playgrounds. There are, however, a number of schools that have playgrounds slated for removal in the coming years, he said in an email. As I understand it, some of the provincial playground money could be accessible to some of these schools to purchase replacement playgrounds in the future.
Heinrich noted its a provincial funding program so he isnt sure how remaining money will be disbursed. Even though Thunderbirds playground was removed in 2009, Heinrich said it has access to a large playground on the north side of the school, so it wasnt identified as a school without a playground.
The playground is on the adjacent community centre grounds and is designed for older children. Thunderbirds youngest students play on the south side of the school and dont have easy access to that playground.
A Ministry of Education spokesperson also told the Courier the initial round of funding went to schools with no access to a playground and that government hasnt worked out which schools will qualify for round two of funding or when the cash will be awarded. When asked whether the moneyup to a maximum of $50,000will go to school districts or PACs, the government spokesman said the ministry is working on the details about how reimbursements will be distributed. Districts were asked districts to identify and prioritize schools and the ministry is reviewing information regarding playgrounds installed since Jan. 1, 2011, he said.
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