Dorothy Lynas Elementary celebrates grand opening of fully-accessible playspace

June 22, 2010

The play space at École Dorothy Lynas is a terrific example of a committed group of people coming together to make our communities more accessible and inclusive for all.
—Rick Hansen, President and CEO, Rick Hansen Foundation

On Tuesday, June 15th, staff, students and special guests of Dorothy Lynas Elementary School honoured contributors and supporters of the newly redeveloped, accessible playspace in Indian River park. Thanks to funding grants, donations and the hard work of countless community and parent volunteers who created a fully inclusive space welcoming children, their parents and caregivers, of all physical abilities.

“It’s incredibly important that children of all abilities have the opportunity to play together”, says ays Dorothy Lynas PAC member Tricia Gardner, a driving force behind the project. “This play space will ensure that no one is left on the sidelines.”

In addition to major contributions from the Rick Hansen Foundation and the Province of British Columbia. additional funds for the project came from the District of North Vancouver, École Dorothy Lynas School  PAC, Act Now BC, Kiwanis Club of North Vancouver, Mount Seymour Lions Club, Rotary Club of North Vancouver, Deep Cove Lions Club, the Royal Bank of Canada and parent donations.  The new swing set in the park was donated by Habitat Systems Inc. “This was a true community effort,” said Gardner. “We are grateful for the expertise of the District of North Vancouver, RecTec Industries Inc, Vancouver Coastal Health, School District 44 Student Services, North Shore Disability Resource Centre, and families with accessibility issues who all contributed to the planning of this play space.”

Not only is the space fully accessible, it’s also uniquely beautiful, thanks to the hands-on involvement of students, guided by local artists Glenn George and Glen Anderson and inspired by the animals native to Mount Seymour. During the playground redevelopment process, a student-led fundraising project engaged the greater community in raising $3,300 in donations for well construction in Africa, enabling girls to attend schools rather than spending their days fetching and carrying water for their families. This act of “giving back” inspired the ultimate design of the mosaic that decorates the space, with a pattern of blue tiles that simulate a stream, flowing into a lake visited by animals native to this newly enhanced extension of “the natural place to learn”.

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