British Columbia municipalities install new accessible playgrounds

The City of West Kelowna will replace the 20‑year‑old playground in Smith Creek Park with a new facility starting on Aug. 4. The three‑week project will add swings, slides, climbing structures, accessibility features and engineered wood‑fibre surfacing, while keeping the existing benches and fencing. City operations manager Patrick Pulak said the upgrade is an “important investment in our parks” and will offer a safe, accessible area for children of all abilities.

In nearby Colwood, the Herm Williams Park playground has been rebuilt with $300,000 funding from the province’s Growing Communities Fund. The new design includes a belt climber for limited‑mobility users, rubber and wood‑fibre surfaces for stable travel, and plans for an adjacent washroom building. Landscape Structures Inc. was awarded the contract for the equipment. The project is part of a series of park improvements across the city.