SJAM Play Space 2012

Overview:

Submitted on behalf of the SJAM families and community

This is a journey we started a year ago with a few families looking for a play space for their school age children. It soon became more. What started as a dream, is shaping into a mission that has brought a community together, across generations, to work toward one goal – a community space for all to enjoy.

Progress and permanence: We envision a playground that is intergenerational where seniors can come together with young children and their families. A park that respects our rich history of being a navy town, and rising above tragedies. Our park that reflects our diverse community which is home to many proud African and Aboriginal families among many others.

Our school: Ecole St Joseph’s A. McKay School is a bilingual elementary school in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (www.sjam.ednet.ns.ca). The school has approx 261 students, a devoted staff of 42 and a surrounding neighbourhood consisting of 12,000 residents.

The current building was built around 1918 after the Halifax Explosion and has been a solid part of the community ever since. It has been an elementary, a junior high, a girls only school and currently serves primary to Grade 6.

Ourselves: Our community is as diverse as our history. We have a community with a combination of public housing, single home dwellings, condo buildings, seniors apartments and businesses. We want to address their needs and create a space for everyone to come together and share.

We take great pride in our history and want this pride to be reflected in our play space and community area. The Titanic, the eradication of Africville and the Halifax Explosion of 1917 that levelled the North End of the city.

The Hydrostone area, rebuilt after the explosion, is now the second most desirable neighbourhood to live in Canada and an Unesco heritage site. Our school sits just on the edge of the Unesco boundry.

This is also where the navy and ship refurbishing continues its heritage, and where a community called Africville once lived. The descendants of many residents from Africville now attend our school.

Our future play space: Our efforts are concentrated on the Grade 3 – 6 play area. These students gather in the space for recess, lunch and afterschool on barren ashphalt with no equipment to play on. The area is loosely estimated to be 117 feet by 65 feet in one area and then 35 feet by 100 feet forming an L. A condominium structure is rising adjacent to the space.

Creating an outdoor classroom for school use would be a great addition and is part of our green plan. Outside of school activities, it can be a place where the community can be active, safe and healthy.

We also have plans for an elevated area, serene and green, to screen the parking lot from the play space. It would serve as seating for the basket ball court, a workout element for the fitness track, and theatre area for school plays, assemblies and neighbourhood events.

We have wanted in particular the permanence and our heritage be reflected in the theme and materials. Local stone, outdoor drums, and African patterns along with representation of the naval history and the Halifax Explosion and rebirth, which have a strong connection to Halifax, should all be included.

We would like to leave an inspiring legacy to future generations by building them something permanent, useful and beautiful.

Our progress: Our committee started at the school level with the families of children who attend the school. Luckily, the school, teachers and staff are behind us. A variety of government bodies, municipal and provincial, also support our dream. Design sourcing is underway and consultation and fundraising continues. Our sub-committees are concentrating on fundraising, planning and consultation.

Our money commitments to date include $31,000 in the bank from donations and fundraising, $25,000 municipal counsellor’s commitment, and $50,000 towards the basketball court from HRM Municipal Planning pending budget approval. The final sum will be topped by 30% from the provincial Department of Health and Wellness.

We have done some work on the space as an interim measure and to get people excited about the possibilities. Through donations from the community, the students and their families have participated in painting the pavement and adding colour to the space to give students activities like hopscotch and four square.

We have many ideas and have quotes to guide us along : Kid Equipment- $45,000, Adult fitness track- $10,500, Basketball court ¾ size -$50,000 Soft surface-$31,200, Pavement paint - $500, Games how to plaques x 5 – $1000 Greenery- $5,000, Music Drum panels x 2 - $1,700, Bike Racks x 2 - $2,000 Benches x 5 - $2,500, Climbing slide wall - $45,000 Known Total: $194,400 approximately Already Raised/Committed: $106,000 approximately We are ready to build our dream with your help in 2012. Thank you for your participation and support!