By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban
A brand-new, fully accessible playground designed to welcome children of all abilities was inaugurated at Mackay Centre and Philip E. Layton schools in NDG on Wednesday.
The $3 million playground project is now ready to welcome children following years of extensive research, planning, and consultation. “The students and staff have been eagerly awaiting the completion of this project,” said school principal Irini Margetis, and they “couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Special features include high colour contrast and varying textures to support children with visual impairments; a large communication board to facilitate communication by non-verbal children; a wheelchair-adapted merry-go-round and swing; and the use of materials specially vetted to ensure no interference with cochlear implants worn by some students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Every design element was carefully considered and selected with input from the CIUSSS West Central Montreal’s Rehabilitation and Multidisciplinary Services team, which focuses on fostering inclusivity and accessibility. English Montreal School Board chair Joe Ortona said the building and launch of the playground “is a significant milestone for the schools… the EMSB is deeply grateful to everyone involved.”
The undertaking was initiated by Habilitas Foundation, which is dedicated to raising funds for projects for people with physical disabilities, and was championed by campaign co-chairs Pierre Boivin and his daughter Catherine, a former MAB-Mackay student. Boivin said she and her father “are extremely grateful for the generous response of everyone who participated in making this vision a reality, and for the time and dedication that was invested by all parties. We look forward to seeing the playground filled with smiles every day and hope this adapted playground will inspire others to think about universal access to play for children everywhere in Montreal.”
The fun and engaging space is vital for child development — enhancing imagination, coordination, social skills, and self-esteem, but for fifth-grade student Avi and his mother Alana, it’s far more personal. “The project is tangibly life changing,” says Alana. “Where Avi used to spend recess on the sidelines in his wheelchair, he’ll now be able to play and have fun with the others. The quality of his day-to-day life will drastically improved. We’re so grateful.” n