A fundraising committee within the Terry Fox Public School parent council is trying to raise $120,000 dollars for a new playground at the Cobourg school.

Students have gone without a play structure since the former one was removed by the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board in 2020 when it was deemed unsafe; only a set of monkey bars remain.

Doreen Parker, one of the committee members who also sits on the parent council, said school boards don’t provide funding for playgrounds but there are still restrictions. The committee received board approval last August, but had to choose between two school-board approved play structures. They also can't use any third-party fundraising tools such as GoFundMe.

“We chose the playground based on accessibility, how many kids could use the playground and various ages,” Parker said. “It’s something that really we’re going to need the community of Cobourg to come together and help us put together. It’s the only way it’s going to work is if the community rallies behind us and helps us with this.”

So far, around $10,000 dollars has been raised, and the goal is to have a new playground installed within the next year. The fundraising committee is applying for grants and will be approaching businesses to seek support as well. 

While the primary use is for Terry Fox students, the playground will be open to the community during off-school hours.

Greg Kidd, spokesman for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, said the board is required to inspect all play structures using a third party each year to ensure they are safe for use and that they meet current standards established by the Canadian Standards Association. The play structure at Terry Fox reached the end of functional and safe use expectancy and was removed in August 2020, he added.

In addition to the yearly board inspection, Kidd noted school staff provide a weekly and monthly on-site review. Structure removal is determined on an individual basis, which include such factors as the age of structure, component deterioration, surfacing and the status of repair options to ensure safety. 

Kidd said school boards do not receive provincial funding to support new playground equipment. 

“We appreciate that school communities are supportive of having playground equipment on school property and that many parent councils choose to raise funds for playground structures,” Kidd said.

To learn more about the online fundraiser, visit School Cash OnLine or contact the Terry Fox Public School. 

Listen to the full interview with Doreen Parker here: