The first phase of new accessible playground equipment was installed at St. Michael School on Monday and Tuesday, with volunteers from the Young Fellows Club and Knights of Columbus on hand to help.
Project lead Deanna Schwindt said this is the first of three phases, with each phase to be done as the funds are raised. A total of $73,000 was raised for the first phase, which includes equipment and concrete, which was poured late Tuesday.
Phase 2 will be some extra free-standing pieces of equipment, and phase 3 will be an installation of paved rubber underneath all of the equipment.
“My goal for Phase 2 is the end of 2022, and for Phase 3, the end of 2023,” said Schwindt. “I’d like to have it done sooner if possible.”
They have applied for grants to hopefully speed up the process and get all of the phases done as soon as possible.
Other than the grant applications, “we haven’t really begun fundraising for this school year because of COVID. This year, we haven’t been able to do some of the projects that we had intended to do,” said Schwindt, adding that the Lions Club is trying to raise funds for the project as well.
Members of the Young Fellows were on the site all day Monday and Tuesday, and volunteers from the Knights of Columbus were also there Tuesday and provided the lunch that day also. “Young Fellows are helping us put it together,” added Schwindt.
Contributors to the playground project included the St. Michael School Community Council, Holy Family School Division, Knights of Columbus, the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Women’s League, along with service organizations like the Weyburn Rotary Club, Young Fellows Club and the Lions Club, the Kinsmen Foundation’s TeleMiracle, along with Vincent and Olga Van Staveren, plus Schwindt’s mom provided pizza for lunch for the work crew from Pumpjack’s.
Businesses that contributed included Weyburn Credit Union, Western Financial, Walmart, Goliath Disposal, Dart Services, Whitecap Resources and A&B Concrete.
