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Black Creek kids get their new place to play

Community cuts the ribbon on playground from BCAA Play Here contest
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The official opening of the playground was Oct. 8. Photo supplied

When the Black Creek Community Association won the $100,000 award for the BCAA Play Here competition in June they couldn’t yet know that was the easy part – the real work was only just beginning.

Fortunately, the BCAA Play Here team has done this many times already and has a talented team in place. Suttle Recreation out of Vancouver was selected by BCAA Play Here to design the site. At this stage, the community centre decided to put all the award money toward the play structure to make it as transformative as possible to the play space. This meant that all site preparation, including excavating, levelling and pouring new concrete borders to accommodate the larger play space would be out-of-pocket expenses for the non-profit community association – but definitely worth it. Fortunately, Suttle Recreation put forward their first proposal and the community centre was thrilled with it.

RELATED STORY: Black Creek playground a finalist for a $100,000 makeover

What quickly became apparent next was the talented team in place locally in Black Creek and the larger Comox Valley. Dedicated local volunteers and businesses have shown they are willing to do whatever it takes to make this dream project a reality. Local businesses Coast Catalyst Construction and Tippin Point Contracting teamed up to donate all machinery, labour and supplies required for site preparation, and Hyland generously donated all concrete required for the project. Many other cash and in-kind donations are going towards fencing for the playground and all other costs.

Three intense days of building in early October required a ton of volunteer work. Luckily, Black Creek was not short on enthusiasm and support for this project, to give the kids an incredible new playground, in time for the grand opening, which took place on Oct. 8, with cake and food, along with a fundraising raffle.

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The kids in Black Creek are enjoying their new playground. Photo supplied