On July 22nd (2024), Saugeen Shores held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the grand opening of the Saugeen Shores Rotary Club accessible playground and that marked the completion of Phase 2 development for Lamont Sports Park, including the new playground.
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The playground was years in the making, with input from the Town’s Accessibility Committee and community members to ensure that the design would be fully accessible. A special thank you to Whitney Bonnett and Jeff Virgo for their contributions and input.
“The opening of this playground marks the successful completion of the Lamont Sports Park’s Phase 2 development, and the fulfilment of the vision that began when we won the Kraft Heinz Project Play in 2019,” said Mayor Luke Charbonneau.
He added that, “We are grateful for the significant feedback by the Accessibility Committee and the public in promoting the adoption of accessible playground design features. We also thank our wonderful donors for their contributions in bringing this regionally significant park to Saugeen Shores.”
The playground includes features that are almost all fully accessible, such as:
· Poured-in-place rubber surfacing with a multi-year guarantee
· Play equipment that is accessible by ramps
· Wheelchair-accessible gondola and in-ground merry-go-round
· Accessible swings
. Sensory learning panels
· Accessible tables and benches
The total cost of the playground was $400,000 to ensure safety standards were met.
Funding towards the accessible playground included a major donation from the Saugeen Shores Rotary Club of $100,000 and the Kraft Heinz Project Play, with the Town being the successful recipient of the Kraft Heinz 2019 Project Play contest of $250,000.
Completion of Phase 2 development includes the opening of the central square, second parking lot and trail access from the west (near Walmart) for the park. The two additional ball diamonds and double batting cages with storage will open in 2025.
