Berwick school playground project a real partnership

BY NANCY KELLY

Kings County Register

Berwick school’s new playground park was developed and built through “an excellent community partnership,” says Berwick school principal Andre Tessier.

At a Nov. 25 gathering of students, staff and representatives of the four partners who helped fund construction of the new playground facility, Tessier thanked the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board, the Town of Berwick, Nova Scotia Health Promotion and Protection and the school’s Parent Teacher Student Association for working together to create new recreation and fitness opportunities for local students and families. “What we have now is an excellent facility that serves the whole community,” said Tessier, “and it couldn’t have happened without the partnership between these groups.”

The four partners began talks to build a new playground at the school in 2007. Two structures, one for children in grades primary to six and a second one for older children and adults, were built this past summer and fall. The total cost for both will be in excess of $100,000, reported Tessier. Partial funding for the project was received from the province and in-kind donations of materials, equipment and manpower from the Town of Berwick and the school board.

AVRSB’s superintendent of schools Norm Dray was on hand at the event to offer his congratulations. “A school is four walls with the future inside,” said Dray, “and now the future is outside as well.”

He noted both the project and the partnership reflect the school board’s mandate of “working together for students.”

Berwick school’s Physical Education teacher Bill Walsh said the new playground park, which doubles the size of the school’s existing playground, was designed in stages to meet both the developmental needs and interests of students. “The P-3 area features a lot of spinning, sliding and some limited climbing equipment.” The area for the Grade 4 to 6s, with its “wings of infinity” and “spiderweb‚” was predominantly designed for climbing. The third stage of the project is a fitness station that facilitates strength, endurance and flexibility-training. “That section give the older kids another option to be active and can also be incorporated into phys ed activities.”

Dray, joined by members of the AVRSB’s property services staff, was presented with a plaque recognizing the school board’s contribution to the project; as were representatives from Berwick, including workers from the Berwick Electric Commission, Public Works and recreation departments; and the provincial Department of Health Promotion and Protection.