A popular wooden Barrie playground is being replaced in favour of a more modern — and accessible — play structure.
Visitors to St. Vincent Park, which is tucked between Blake Street and Kempenfelt Drive at the south end of St. Vincent Street, have long enjoyed one of the city’s few remaining wooden play structures, but safety and a lack of accessibility has led to its replacement, construction of which is already underway.
Katy Wilson grew up in Barrie and remembers playing at Sunnidale Park on a wooden play structure similar to what had been located at St. Vincent Park. And although she admitted it’s always sad to see a park torn town, knowing it’s being replaced with a new structure that will be accessible to all users is good news.
“With some of the bright and shiny new ones, they’re just more accessible, so I think that’s the pro of them. I also appreciate the different levels, because often we get to those older (structures) for the little kids they’re just can’t use them at all because there are no steps — and just ladders and ropes,” she told BarrieToday while playing with her son at nearby Kempenfelt Park.
“But it is sad to see your old childhood playgrounds get torn down," Wilson added.
Kevin Bradley, the city’s manager of park planning, told BarrieToday construction is proceeding well, adding he anticipates the majority of the work to be completed before the end of the year, with the space ready for the public to use by spring 2023.
“It is only the playground and associated site works that are being removed and reconstructed – not the entire park,” he said. “The existing equipment was over 20 years old, which is five years past its useful life for a wood structure… and was in a deteriorated state and beyond repair.”
The playground was also not accessible, he added, noting the design of the new park was completed with community consultation and input from the city’s accessibility advisory committee – a first for the city with its annual playground replacement program.
“The new playground will be universally accessible with a range of features and elements for children of all ages and abilities and will incorporate one of the first We-Go Swing installations in the province which allows children in wheelchairs to remain in their chair while enjoying the swing with other children and family members,” Bradley said.
The new park will also include additional seating opportunities, nature play elements such as climbable boulders and cedar logs, a new entry forecourt, improved accessible pathways, and improved park lighting.
For more information on the project, click here.
