CORNER BROOK, N.L. — As Debbie Davis watched over a group of children running around the playground on East Valley Road in Corner Brook on Aug. 6 she was pretty happy they had a place where they could play.
Davis is the owner/manager of Corner Brook Centre Bowl. The children with her that day were all taking part in the business’s summer activity camp.
Having that place to play is important to the camp.
“This is a part of our program,” she said as she looked around the play area that the campers use about three times a week.
“We love this. This is part of what we offer our parents and kids.”
The campers will hike up to the playground from the bowling alley, which gets them outside and in the fresh air.
They’ll then play at the various stations the leaders set up and Davis said they get to interact with one another, which helps build on the friendships they are creating.
“It is just a fun place to be,” she said.
So, she was quite happy that a planned closure of the playground for two weeks, starting Aug. 19, while the City of Corner Brook to carries out repairs/upgrades to the water distribution system in the area, won’t disrupt the camp too much.
With some concrete structures for the project having been on site for some time, she was a little concerned the project was going to start earlier.
The eighth and final week of camp begins on Aug. 19, so Davis said they’ll use another area for outdoor fun that week.
While there are fewer neighbourhood playgrounds spread around town, having areas for outdoor fun is important for the community, said Mayor Jim Parsons.
“In residential areas, you have to have some facilities to bring people together in those areas.”
Once they are put in place they don’t involve a lot of costs. The city includes maintenance of the spaces in its budget and inspects them yearly for safety.
He said the city aspires to have young children play in the spaces, but in the meantime with an aging population it is looking at other was to utilize some spaces.
He said it’s possible they could be used for community gardens or composting hubs.
“Other places in a neighbourhood where people can gather.”
As for the East Valley Road playground, this is not the first time it’s been closed for work on the water distribution system and Parsons said the timing of it is just the way things worked out.
“It’s such a mixed bag, like we have this short season for construction, but it’s the prime time of year to get out and it’s the prime tourism time. It’s a real tight balance.
“What other choice do we have, it’s construction season.”
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