CHALLENGE METED OUT

I avoid reading minutes of Council Meetings. They provide bare bones record of decision "without note or comment" . Once the majority decides, it's a decision of Council. Who voted for or against is neither here nor there, unless there's a request for the vote to be recorded. 

Before writing, I had to search for the price tag of the playground in Queen's Jubilee Park. 

Staff reported an estimate of $370 thousand when it was  proposed in 2013. 

The contract award in May 2016 was  $359,763. Change orders would not be reflected at 

the time.  

I needed the figures because news coverage of the opening did not reveal the price. .In fact, it 

seemed the Mayor wanted to keep it a secret. 

 " There were a wee bit of funds expended " he said . "But it was well worth it" he said.

If he really thought so,why avoid saying ? 

I know why and he does too. 

The average cost of a well designed  playground is $75,000. Five playgrounds could have been 

built for the price of that one. 

Properly designed, a playground offers challenge to every age and level of ability. It's the purpose

of a playground. 

They climb,they hang ,they shift on ropes and  bars on Jungle Jims.They wind through openings and spin on round -abouts as fast as they can.

They push on swings,higher and higher and dig holes and build castles in sand.

Strength and ability are tested to the limits. Good,sound equipment lets them do that. 

And they learn.

Children don't play. 

They practise intensely, over and over and learn and tease each other to see how far they can go. 

"Last through the gate, is Mammy's Big Tumshy" they shout and run as fast as they can, not to be last.

But if they are, they'll do it again next time somebody shouts and have a chance to even the score. 

How would separating children accomplish the goal;  young ones from older;slower from the faster; weak from  stronger;  able from the differently abled. 

Don't all need to test themselves to the same measure? If the end can't be the exactly the same,should the challenge be reduced ? 

Why?

The only piece of playground equipment featured in the news was a gigantic swing for a wheel chair. 

It wasn't for a child. It was for a wheelchair. 

How does a child in a wheelchair learn to push himself higher and learn about movement?

He doesn't. No more than the wheelchair.

There is more to this story...much more. More than could be presented in ten debate minutes allocated 

to a Councillor, according to Dawe.

And...I will tell...all of it.