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Photo credit: Sheena Roszell
By Emily Keller
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS

City launches survey on park and playground use

Aug 30, 2019 | 12:02 PM

The City of Grande Prairie has launched a new survey about park and playground use throughout the community.

The City says the goal of the survey is to gain a better idea of who uses the parks and playgrounds and which locations are most popular.

Lindsey Juniper, Parks Planner and Park Operations with the City, says the survey will help them replace parks that need it the most.

“We do have limited resources for budget, and we want to make sure that when it comes time for life cycle replacement of playgrounds that we are replacing the correct ones.”

The typical lifespan of a playground structure ranges between 15 to 20 years.

The results of the survey will help the City with future plans of parks and playgrounds and figure out what types of equipment and features residents are looking for, says Juniper.

“What we’re looking for is what kind of apparatus the children are enjoying the most. So, you know, whether or not they’re on a swing or an overhead apparatus, which ones are used the most as well as which of our parks are being utilized.”

He says a few of the most used parks right now include Muskoseepi Park, JC Mackie Park and Avondale Park.

Photo credit: Sheena Roszell

The City currently owns and maintains 103 playgrounds across Grande Prairie, not including playgrounds located on school sites. Developers install playgrounds when constructing new neighborhoods and playgrounds are constructed to meet specifications, are inspected and are then under warranty for two years.

The size and location of playgrounds are determined when plans are prepared for new neighborhoods and through the Parks Master Plan.

The City assumes ownership once the playground has been constructed and assumes the responsibility for ongoing repair, maintenance and life cycle replacement.

The survey can be taken here, and an interactive map of the parks and playgrounds in Grande Prairie is available here.

by Emily Keller