By Ruby Pratka
Local Journalism Initiative
The town of Bromont has opened an indoor playground to get its youngest residents moving.
The Espace Bougeotte opened March 29 in the multipurpose room of the Bromont Arena, and will stay open on weekends from 8:30 a.m. to noon until May 19, and reopen in the fall. The project is developed in partnership with Loisir et Sport Montérégie, funded by a Quebec government grant and inspired by a similar initiative in Nicolet, near Trois-Rivières. The space includes soft play modules for preschoolers and a “chill space” where children and their parents can rest, have a snack, draw or play with tabletop toys and games.
While a city employee will be on hand to welcome kids and their families, keep the space clean and address any safety concerns, parents, grandparents and caregivers are responsible for their children, explained Laurent Bédard, head of the sports, recreation and events division at the Ville de Bromont. The space might host occasional organized activities in the future, but for now, free play is the name of the game. The facility is free, reserved for Bromont residents and targeted to children under 5.
“With the creation of this new space, we are contributing to the development of healthy lifestyle habits for our children, from a very young age. We invite families and the entire community to come and discover this beautiful place dedicated to our little ones,” Shefford district councillor Jacques Lapensée said in a statement announcing the centre’s opening.
Bédard said city officials wanted to respond to a lack of free and accessible activities for babies and preschoolers that encourage physical activity, as part of the city’s action plan for healthy lifestyles.
Bédard took his own two-year-old son to the Espace Bougeotte on opening day, and said he enjoyed the experience. “He tried it, and after an hour, he got tired and went to the quiet room and built some stuff and had a snack. Then he went back to running everywhere with the other kids.”
The space also gives kids and their parents an opportunity to socialize and get to know their neighbours, Bedard said. “Families are so busy, it’s good to meet other parents and talk and say ‘I’m not going through this alone.’”
“There are a lot of private play centres that are bigger than ours, and they’re excellent – I go there with my family and we enjoy it – but it’s important to have low-barrier access to sports,” Bédard said. “Getting kids into skiing, soccer and hockey is expensive; putting them in front of the TV or giving them an iPad is not. We have a tendency to park kids in front of the TV when they’re little, and then sign them up for soccer when they’re old enough; they might specialize in soccer, but they don’t necessarily learn to jump or do cartwheels. Even when you’re a year old, you should have the opportunity to jump up and down or throw a ball.” He said he believes free play for preschoolers should eventually become a regular part of municipal recreational programs, “like free swim or public skating sessions.”
If you are a Bromont resident and would like to learn more about the Espace Bougeotte, visit bromont.net/loisirs-et-culture/programmation-des-loisirs/espace-bougeotte.