2023-10-18

After seven years, playpark officially opens

BROOKLYN - After seven years, a safe, inclusive, universally-designed play park has become a reality for Brooklyn and area.

On the afternoon of Oct. 11 in front of a large crowd at the new park location on Old Cobbs Barn Road, the gates were officially open on the new universally designed play park by Debbie J. Wamboldt, the driving force behind the project.

Following a smudging ceremony, Cynthia Carroll, executive director of Autism Nova Scotia that administered, and co-ordinated the funds for the park. She shared her thoughts on the project as did board member Catherine Rahey, who also read thoughts written down by Wamboldt, who the audience was told, may have been too emotional to do a speech of her own. Also sharing her thoughts was Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman, who also served as the emcee.

Wamboldt explained how it all started.

"There was a day when I picked up my oldest son up from pre-school and we were driving home and he saw kids at a playground and he wanted to stop, but we couldn't, because at that time he was a flight risk," she explained. "His autism causes him to get excited, whether it's a good excitement or bad excitement, he may run off, so I had to say no we can't stop and he cried in the car."

Wamboldt, a part of a parental autism support group, shared the experience and she found out she was not alone. It was decided that "we needed to something about this."

In 2016, she asked candidates running for mayor what they would do to make the community more inclusive and election. A playground was on the list. Following the election, she met with Mayor David Dagley and shared her vision of a playground that was safe, accessible and inclusive for all children or for anyone of any age or ability.

She worked tirelessly in pursuit of funding and support for the project. Now that the project is complete..."it's really surreal. I can't describe it. I never imagined in my dreams something like this," adding that she would be bringing her son, now 13 years of age to the park right after school."

Wamboldt expressed her happiness that she is now able to come and relax and allow her children to play safely.

Despite spearheading the project, she continuously deflected praise to the efforts of the community.

"All you have to do is look at the fundraising to see how much the community wants this projects. We had little kids asking fro nothing but donations to the play park for their birthday or Christmas presents, that's a pretty big deal."

Norman was also proud of the everyone's work.

"Five dollars, $5,000, $500, $50, five cents, it all massed. You think $100,000 just from the community. It's wonderful."

The park is valued at more than $600,000. More than $100,000 of that was raised through fundraisers, from Zombie walks bottle drives, bake sales and children donating money from their birthday parties.

Other funding came from the RQM ($111,773) who also donated the land; provincial funding ($112,000); federal grants ($160,000); and private trusts ($85,000).

As Wamboldt looked around the area following the official opening and looked upon the park as a true community gathering place.

"I said from the get-go that this was the perfect location and when they were talking about the manor coming here, I thought how much more perfect can you get for a community gathering space," she said. "To have people meeting here, interacting and coming together as a community. I see all kinds of things happening here."

The area also includes Queens Place Emera Centre arena and walking track; BMX bike course, skateboard park, walking trail and basketball courts.

In an interview following the opening, Carroll said "it's definitely a historic day for Nova Scotia. It's so amazing to be able to stand here and look in all directions and know that his is a play park that is fully inclusive for all ages and all stages. It's a real proud day for Autism Nova Scotia, but more so it's a proud day for all community volunteers, leaders and donors who contributed to make this happen.

"This truly was a labour of love for all of us and such a passion project. This also becomes such a model, not just for the province, but even nationally."

She adds that not only was there so much thought put into every piece of playground equipment, there was also the cultural aspect, with smudging ceremonies happening during the ground-breaking and the official opening and the naming of the park as well.

Etli Milita'mk was selected as the name of the playpark in consultation with members of Acadia First Nation. Translated from Mi'kmaq, it means "we are playing here".

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Among the equipment in the playpark are three slides of varying heights and styles; five swings of 4 types including multi-generational and inclusive harnessed; a standing spinner; a roll-on spinner; a climbing wall; a toddler 'truck'; a wobble sphere; a quiet grove (designed for autistic users to 'get away'); musical element; braille descriptive panels; interactive panels; stepping 'stones'; climbing apparatus; three different ladders; a transfer station (where one can move off a wheelchair onto decks); and a sliding pole.

The park is designed based on the seven principles of universal design, according to the Centre of Excellence in Universal Design put together in 1997. These seven principles are: equitable use; flexibility; simple and intuitive use; perceptible information; tolerance for error; low physical effort; size and space for approach and use.

The splash pad portion of the project opened in early July and was scheduled to close Oct. 16.