OUTLOOK - Outlook Elementary School's dream of a new playground for its students just became a lot more grounded in reality after a sizable donation from Riverbend Co-op.
On Monday afternoon, June 16, staff and students gathered in the school gym to learn of significant funding coming their way as OES continues to fundraise for a much-needed makeover to its existing playground equipment.
Greg Sarvis, CEO of Riverbend Co-op, was on hand at the school to speak on the announcement that dropped the jaws of more than a few students; Outlook Elementary School will receive $50,000 in support of its new playground initiative through the 2025 Co-op Community Spaces funding program. In addition to the funding at OES, thirteen other communities spread out across Western Canada will receive financial support for their own initiatives.
Specifically, this funding will be used to purchase the equipment and support installation costs for one of OES's new play structures and the surface beneath, making the space more accessible to offer safer play conditions, as well as ease of wheelchair access.
“We know this isn’t just any playground. This is a special community space,” said Sarvis in a media release. “It’s where students can play and recharge during the school day, but it’s also a place where families gather, friends meet up after school, and kids from all over the community come to laugh, climb, swing, and explore. It’s more than a playground, it’s important community infrastructure that brings people together.”
The Co-op Community Spaces program helps improve and protect community spaces across Western Canada, and in the last decade, more than $14 million has been invested into 203 projects in the categories of recreation, environmental conservation, and urban agriculture. Administered by Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), the Community Spaces program is awarded by more than 150 local Co-op locations in 650 communities.
Another Outlook project that the program supported was the community ice rink behind the Jim Kook Rec Plex, which received $150,000 in 2019.
“At Riverbend Co-op, we believe in building not just businesses, but better communities,” Sarvis added. “And that means creating spaces where kids can be kids, where families can connect, and where everyone feels welcome.”
“We were over the moon excited about the funding. Absolutely. Could not believe it,” added Darla Thorstad, Principal of Outlook Elementary School. “We started looking at replacing playground equipment about 12 years ago and at that time the equipment was already about 20 years old. We realized that the replacement cost was going to be $300,000. School budgets just do not accommodate for that. The community's been supportive, but I have to say, like the Co-op itself, has been so supportive of us.”
During the afternoon announcement, Principal Thorstad got the kids involved in some of the key decision making surrounding the playground, including voting for what shade of green they liked the best, which was won by Spring Green over a shade of lime.
Members of the school's student leadership also shared words during the announcement.
"We want to give a huge thank you to the Co-op Community Spaces for their generous grant of $50,000," announced Codie Russell, OES's Student Leadership President, as the student body erupted in cheers. "This amazing support will allow us to get the second structure in place sooner than we had hoped. Thank you so much for helping us make our playground a better place. Let's look forward to many more fun and safe recesses ahead."
"We can't wait to climb, slide and play on our new equipment," added Ellie Haapala, Grade 5 representative of the Student Leadership team.
Though the Co-op funding takes care of some notable features of their school's playground, OES is still fundraising for one more structure, which can be supported by the public by donations. In the meantime, Thorstad told Â鶹ÊÓƵ that the goal is to get started this fall on the installation of the new equipment.
"The community's been very supportive, they really have," said Darla. "It's just that equipment is so expensive, and we just find ourselves still needing to fundraise, and we're going to try and get our students involved and still reach out to the community just to help us see that final one complete."
Including the $50,000 gifted by Riverbend Co-op, Thorstad said that OES has fundraised approximately $220,000 to this point, with two out of three structures covered and another $100K or so needed to completely finish updating the school's playground.
Donations can be made by cheque to the school division and dropped off at OES or sent to the division itself. For those who may have fundraising ideas, Thorstad says the school is open to any and all conversations.
