Horizon School principal Heather Linski says the Ryan Boutwell Memorial Playground, which was officially opened after being revamped recently, is perfect for students there.
The approximately $180,000 playground was officially opened May 19 during a ceremony involving students, families, Chinook's Edge School Division officials as well as Mayor Judy Dahl and Olds chief operating officer Doug Wagstaff.
It took about 18 months to raise money for the project to replace previous wooden playground equipment there. The town, school division, families, individuals and service clubs all chipped in to cover the cost for the project.
Horizon School, which works with students with special needs, currently has 47 students. Linski notes students attending that school can range in age from 4 to 20, so they've made sure the playground features adult-size equipment.
“We don't often have that in the community,” she says. “Playground equipment is generally made for younger children. It was an important factor for our families so that their children, as they were growing, had a place to play and even come back to.”
The equipment is brightly coloured so it's visible for visually-impaired students.
It even has Braille.
And there's more.
“There are pieces of equipment that make a lot of noise and you can interact with them as well,” Linski says. There are a lot of sensory components, so it's really exciting for all.
“I think it's really important for our students to have opportunities to be outside and play on equipment that is able to meet their needs from a sensory base and just to play.”
The playground is named after a former Horizon School student, whose family built the original playground at the school.
Linski says the playground isn't necessarily finished.
“There are some landscape pieces that need to be completed. And we're hoping there's enough space here in this facility to add in some more pieces of equipment over time,” she says.
“It is a community facility, so it belongs to the town of Olds too,” Linski says. “It's open to people all the time – on the weekends as well. So it's a real community place for them to gather.”
"I think it's really important for our students to have opportunities to be outside and play on equipment that is able to meet their needs from a sensory base and just to play."HEATHER LINSKIPRINCIPAL HORIZON SCHOOL
