THE City of Surrey and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities officially opened the Jumpstart Playground in Unwin Park on Tuesday. Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, along with Scott Fraser, President of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, and Stephanie Dixon, 19-time Paralympic Medallist, welcomed over 100 local children to experience Surrey’s largest accessible playground.
“Creating spaces where residents of all ages and abilities can enjoy active play together is at the centre of our vision to advance as a thriving, healthy community where everyone feels welcome,” said McCallum. “We thank Jumpstart Charities for their partnership in bringing this inclusive playground to Unwin Park. It is a welcome addition that will be enjoyed by the community for years to come.”
“By playing, whether through organized sport or with friends on a playground, kids are given the opportunity to develop valuable life skills such as confidence, courage and teamwork,” said Fraser. “Today, we are celebrating more than the new Jumpstart Playground in Unwin Park; we’re celebrating the learning and growth opportunities it will foster for kids of all abilities in Surrey.”
At 12,000 square feet, Jumpstart Playground is the largest inclusive playground in Surrey and provides an imaginative and accessible play space for kids of all abilities to play together. The space includes unique accessible features and equipment, including double-wide ramps, seamless rubber surfacing, a quiet play space, a wheelchair-accessible We-Go-Round and more. The Jumpstart Playground is a gift to the City of Surrey as part of Jumpstart’s Inclusive Play Project and is the sixth Jumpstart Playground to be built in Canada to-date.
Through a five-year, $50 million fundraising commitment from Canadian Tire Corporation, Jumpstart’s Inclusive Play Project is helping Canadian kids overcome physical barriers to sport and recreation. In addition to building universally accessible playgrounds, Jumpstart supports accessible programming and infrastructure across Canada through Jumpstart Accessibility Grants and the Para Sport Jumpstart Fund.