Estevan’s supervised playpark programming is not in jeopardy this summer. This was the first emphatic point made by Erin Wilson, the city’s leisure services program manager.
But, what would be nice, would be to have another strong response from the program’s traditional financial sponsors, or some new contributors that would help them to add even more value to the summer programs in the five community playparks that feature trained leaders and supervisors.
“The City of Estevan pays the wages and benefits and provides a small budget for program supplies, plus they cover the maintenance and pool supplies,” said Wilson, referring to the four parks that feature wading pools, which are popular with the youngsters during the summer season.
The four parks with the shallow pools also feature morning crafts and other fun activities to entertain and educate the young summer regulars. A fifth park, Trojan Park doesn’t have a pool, but offers the morning crafts and activities program involving a playpark leader.
Wilson said Cassidy Reich has been appointed the supervisor of the playpark leaders this year and they will join her later this month to prepare for a busy season with the playpark programming and pools opening on June 29.
“We do the best with the funds we have available to us. All the money we might receive from a local business or organization, goes into the program,” said Wilson.
“Of course, we’re as nervous as any other non-profit because of the current community economic challenges. We have put out our donation requests, just like we have other years, to those who have helped us out in the past. I just hope we get some of that back again this year. We have our fingers crossed because we know, from experience, the more funds we get the more fun the kids will have because we can enhance the projects and programs.”
Wilson added the playpark program has been most fortunate in the past few years to receive close to $7,000 from local businesses for a boost to the traditional programs. In the past, that has allowed the programmers to organize a movie night, or add some paint and glitter to the craft programs, for instance.
“And we’re always in need of things like scissors. We have some items in inventory, but they are well used, we don’t waste anything.”
In fact, she said the leaders and the children are “pretty creative in recycling materials and they can carry some inventory over from one year to the next. So, if the financial support isn’t as strong this summer, it won’t indicate doom and gloom on the playground front, it will only mean the deployment of a little more creativity on everyone’s behalf and that isn’t a bad thing at all.
“We’ll just have to see what the response is, and we’ll plan from there,” said Wilson.
