Kirwan Proposes Using HCI Fund for $6 million Upgrade
To City Playground Facilities

  

Date:                     October 7, 2014

To:                        Media

From:                    Robert Kirwan
                             Candidate for Councillor of Ward 5

Re:                       Kirwan Proposes Using HCI Fund for $6 million Upgrade To City Playground Facilities

_________________________________________________________________

Robert Kirwan, Candidate for Councillor of Ward 5, will be proposing that City Council devote the entire amount of the Healthy Community Initiative Funds towards a full scale $6 million upgrade of all of the neighbourhood playgrounds located throughout the City of Greater Sudbury. By using the $600,000 per year that has already been established as part of the budget, the City would be able to borrow the funds needed to complete all of the improvements by the end of 2016 and pay off the entire loan within the next ten years.  No additional tax money would be required to complete this initiative and if the City continues to devote the normal amount of annual capital allocation there should be plenty of money available to completely renew all of our playgrounds and ensure that they meet the regulations of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

According to the Greater Sudbury Parks, Open Space and Leisure Master Plan which was presented to Council in June 2014, many of the City’s playgrounds contain outdated and outmoded play equipment, surface treatments, and pathways. The review leading up to the final report demonstrated that 79% of the people surveyed expressed considerable interest in improving and/or expanding the level of service at playgrounds.

With a total of 179 playgrounds located throughout the City of Greater Sudbury this amount of funding would allow the City to create a comprehensive, city-wide strategy that would allow us to ensure that fully equipped accessible playgrounds are located within an 800 meter radius of every urban residential neighbourhood without crossing a major arterial road or physical barrier, which is the ultimate goal of the Master Plan.

Kirwan feels that this would be a good use for the Healthy Community Initiative Fund since it would rejuvenate the neighbourhood playground associations and would provide young children the kind of play and physical education facilities that would be in the best interests of the entire family. This would enable us to demonstrate to all newcomers and people wishing to locate in the Greater Sudbury Area that we truly are family-focussed and community minded.

For more information visit Robert Kirwan’s web site at www.robertkirwan.ca


RETURN TO ROBERT KIRWAN'S HOME PAGE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved
Valley East Today is published by
Infocom Canada Business Consultants Inc.