Banner Park fundraising brought in over $2200 this past year. Thank you to all who donated, especially Ruiter Construction Ltd. who made a corporate donation of $200, and to Carmen Parsons who held a bake sale and raised $190. We have raised over $7500 since fundraising started in 2009. With thanks also to large donations from Shoppers Drug Mart and Gord Hunter. With the city matching grant, this brings our total to $15 000.
We still need to raise another $3000 to cover the cost of the structure. Site preparation (digging a 30x30x1 foot hole and 30 cu. yards of playground sand) is an additional cost currently priced at $3800. If this is a job or service which you could donate we'd like to hear from you. (city authorization required).
Both corporate and personal donations are eligible for charitable tax receipts from the city of Ottawa.
The Trend Arlington Community Association (TACA), with help from community volunteers, is supporting the installation of a new net climbing structure in Banner Road Park. The climber for 5-12 year old children would be an asset to the park and would complement existing structures. The likely site is between the swings and the hill.
Several options, including a splash pad, were considered before Henderson Recreation's Venus model net climber (pictured) was chosen. Net climbers are fairly rare in Ottawa and at $17,500 plus site preparation, the Venus model was one of the least expensive of the larger climbers. We believe it would be a useful and fun addition for the children in our community.
City Parks and Recreation schedules refurbishment or replacement of existing play structures on a life-cycle basis (the larger structure with the blue slide is due for replacement by 2012), but new structures separate from the City's plans must be initiated and sponsored by interested residents in the community. In this regard, however, the City will match funds raised by the community up to a maximum of $7500. That means the Trend Arlington community will have to raise about $10 000 or an average contribution of less than $5 per household to complete this project.
On April 25, in conjunction with the Trend Arlington Tennis Club's open house and registration day at the community building, TACA will host a booth promoting the Banner Park project and donation pledge forms will be available; then in May, shortly after distribution of a flyer explaining the project and the canvassing effort, we will be canvassing households in the community.
Alison Harvey is the TACA contact person for this project. She can be reached by email at bannerpark@trendarlington.ca and by phone at 613-726-6522. Please contact Alison if you would be willing to help by canvassing your local neighbourhood in May, or if you have any comments or concerns.