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Efforts to replace 34 aging and inaccessible Windsor playgrounds wrapped up this week, less than three years after the ambitious $10.3-million project began.
The city on Monday unveiled a new $350,000 jungle gym on Rankin Avenue, just outside South Cameron Woodlot where a new trail system is on the horizon.
“It’s a great day for Ward 10. This South Cameron park is something that I definitely cherish,” said Ward 10 Coun. Jim Morrison.
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Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens said the community’s response to the city’s playground upgrades has been “extremely positive.”
“People in Windsor love their parks. They love quality parks,” Dilkens said.
“We have over 200 parks in our network, but people know where the good ones are, where the playgrounds are. They become amenities that the community starts taking care of.”
Dilkens said vandalism has been a problem at city parks in the past, but with a “nice feature” like the new playground at South Cameron Woodlot, the community takes “more pride.”
In November of 2021, Dilkens announced the replacement of 32 playgrounds throughout the city for $9.4 million — roughly $300,000 per playground. The playgrounds chosen for replacement were nearing 30 years of age, were increasingly difficult to maintain, and were lacking accessibility features, the city said at the time.
The 32 new playgrounds are broken down into:
- three large playgrounds costing $400,000 each at Willistead, Gignac and Fred Thomas parks;
- 19 medium playgrounds costing $315,000 each at McKee, Bradley, Matthew Rodzik, Lake Laguna, Patrick Maguire, Kenilworth, Maple Leaf, Kid’s Alliance, Garwood, Homesite, Mayfair, Robert, Thurston, Coletta, St. Paul Grove, Ganatchio/Little River Corridor, Stillmeadow, Seneca and Cora Greenwood parks;
- and 10 small playgrounds costing $225,000 each at Avondale Playlot, Brookview, Aboriginal, Alton C. Parker, Devonshire, Dynasty, Kominar, Francois, Shawnee and South Rendevous parks.
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Since winter 2021, the city has also replaced playgrounds at Wilson Park and Legacy Park for $450,000 each, bringing the city’s total up to 34 new playgrounds.
South Cameron Woodlot, Morrison said, “is much different than the traditional open-field park. This is a natural woodlot and wetlands in the middle of the city.”
Since 1995, the city has “stewarded” the woodlot and “bolstered its size.
“It’s now up to 33 acres — we’ve done land exchanges with various developers,” he said.
In May, city council approved conceptual plans that, if funded, will see asphalt and limestone paths and fibreglass boardwalks installed in and around the South Cameron Woodlot. The $2.6 million needed to fund the project won’t be discussed until budget time.
The project would be completed in phases and with sections of the trails closed during construction, while the rest of the park stays open to the public.
The first phase includes an asphalt trail with solar lighting at the park’s perimeter along Ojibway Street and parallel to Mark Avenue. Phase 2 would see limestone and boardwalk trails constructed along Kenora Street east of Randolph Avenue, with Phase 4 continuing that work west of Randolph. Phase 3 includes an interior trail from Ojibway Street that leads to both the park’s playground and Kenora Street.
“The phased approach, I think, is important from a budgeting perspective,” Dilkens said. “The goal is to end up with a beautiful trail system through this wonderful woodlot. We’ll be working on that starting in the next budget.”
Residents are invited to visit the new playgrounds on Saturday at 11 a.m. to learn more about the city’s plans for the woodlot. Free ice cream will be available.
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