It takes a village to raise a child.
Arguably, no one understands that mantra better than the staff at Christian Life Children’s Centre who have engaged the community at large to help in a major redesign aimed at improving creative play.
The centre is transforming its backyard in order to establish a natural outdoor classroom, similar to the natural playscape at Centennial Park.
“The children at the centre will be encouraged to explore, have new adventures and learn about their environment while playing in the natural outdoor classroom,” says Meg Belanger, project lead at Christian Life Children’s Centre. “The natural playground will provide age appropriate, challenging and safe outdoor opportunities to extend their discovery of plant life cycles and generate creative play.”
An ambitious plan, daycare staff knew it wasn’t a project they could do on their own.
So they turned to the community for help.
Edwin Clements digs in during a community build day May 14.
It wasn’t long before donations started flooding in and people were eagerly stepping up to help.
On Saturday, May 14, the entire daycare community, as well as representatives from Telus, who through the company’s Day of Giving initiative volunteered their time, came out to help with the backyard redesign.
ASL-JV (Aecon and SNC Lavalin Joint Venture), the civil contractor for the John Hart Generating Station Replacement Project, also donated their time and equipment.
The playscape was also made possible by a grant from TD Friends and Family, as well as by donations from Mystic Woods, which helped with landscaping, Greenways Land Trust, Five Star Aggregate and Excavating, McDonald’s, the Campbell River Garden Centre, Sticks ’N Stones Nursery, and Renuable Resources.
“Thank you again to all who volunteered, donated and continue to donate towards the natural play classroom, your compassion and generosity is greatly appreciated,” Belanger says.