New-look playgrounds in Greater Sudbury to be designed based on community wishes

A dozen playgrounds in Greater Sudbury will getmajor facelifts this summer.

One park in each of the municipality's 12 wards has been selected to receive about$80,000 worth ofupgrades through a partnershipwith the City and United Way Centraide North East Ontario.

It's part of the city's plan to improve 58 playgrounds throughout the city that have been deemedin need of attention by staff.

One of the parks selected for the first round of improvements is Place Hurtubise Playground in New Sudbury. It's next to a 106-townhouse, 20-block complex that about200 kids and their families call home.

12 parks set to receive upgrades this year:

• Lakeview Playground, 420 Sunday Street, Sudbury
• Selkirk Park, Selkirk Street, Sudbury
• Lonsdale Playground, 811 Lonsdale Avenue, Sudbury
• St. Joseph Playground, St.Joseph Street, Sudbury
• Hillcrest Playground, Hillcrest Crescent, Sudbury
• Place Hurtubise Playground, 1966 Lasalle Boulevard, New Sudbury
• Penman Park, Penman Avenue, Garson
• East Street Tot Lot, Coniston
• Howard Armstrong Sports Complex, Hanmer
• Sixth Avenue Playground, Lively
• Pinecrest Tot Lot, Swanson Court, Val Caron
• Cot Park, 215 Edward Avenue, Chelmsford

A round of "neighbourhood huddles" was held at each of the sites this week, as parents and children pitched ideas for what the playgrounds should look like once work is complete over the coming months.

"I like how there's swings, but I really want more," offered youngster Zachary Carriere. "And I want the play structure to be bigger a way bigger play structure.

"But I also want what everybody else wants," he added.

A handful of other excitable youngsters tookturns yelling out ideas ranging from a big slide to a trampoline to a swimming pool.

And though some of the suggestions approached the absurd, Lori Henri explained the look and feel of each park will depend on what kids and parents say they want.

Henri is a recreation coordinator with the city, and was charged with gathering input from families at Place Hurtubise on Wednesday.

"There's three different types of playgrounds: There's the traditional playground, with basics swings, slides and climbing bars; there's fitness playgrounds, geared more to fitness and to skill development," noted Henri.

"And then you see your themed playgrounds, and that would be something like a train, or a boat, different types of themes like that."

Henri said the old parks will be torn down and rebuilt to meet the desired outcomes.

"We'll take this information back, we'll review it, and when we look at putting out the RFP for the 12 playgrounds this year, those will all be considered."

The playgrounds will be completely rebuilt and ready to go before this fall, according to the city.