During the winter of 2017, a number of students aged 10 – 14 years old approached the administration of our local school (Northeast Kings Education Centre – NKEC) and asked if more outdoor physical activity infrastructure could be provided for the middle school students at the school. Currently, there are very few opportunities for this age group and the activities offered in the school area are mainly limited to team sports such as soccer, basketball, and football. Administration was quick to agree that there was an immediate need for accessible stand-alone outdoor age appropriate equipment where students could use these physical fitness conditioning elements to improve their agility, balance, strength and confidence.
Administration and students then partnered with the Nova Scotia Provincial Department of Health & Wellness, Physical Activity, Sport, and Recreation, to have a public consultation phase to ensure that the new infrastructure would meet the needs of the students, as well as the community at large. In May, 2017, that consultation was completed and goals were established that focused on the gaps identified during the consultation phase. The end result confirmed that our community as a whole (school, students, and the public) desired multi-activity structures that focused on children aged 10 – 14 years, including equipment designed for children with special needs.
In late May, 2017, a Community Project Team was formed. A partnership has been created between the NKEC Home & School Association, the Canning & District Recreation Commission (CDRC), NKEC Administration, the Village of Canning, NKEC Students, the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board (AVRSB), and local citizens with community interests with a goal of establishing a new Multi-Activity Park located adjacent to the recreational assets that are already located in the area of J Jordan Rd/Bains Rd. As there are many partners involved in this project, the AVRSB, through its’ Charitable Foundation, will be handling all finances and procurement for the project on the Community Project Team’s behalf.
The Project Team wants to thank you for taking the time to read about the new Park and looking at the design renderings. We trust that you see the tremendous value in this project for everyone in the greater community and hope that you will support our team in reaching our goals and ensuring that installation of the new structures can take place in July 2018! If you have further questions on the Project, or would like to provide support, please contact the Project Team Chair, Greg Fox (Vice-Principal, NKEC) at 902-582-2040 or via e-mail at greg.fox@avrsb.ca
Help us reach our financial target of $120,427.59 as we endeavor to offer a caring and enriched educational experience for all of our children with our new Multi-Activity Park!
Thank you,
The Multi-Activity Park Project Team
