The Friends of Glenbow Education Society has a lofty goal of raising half a million dollars by 2025.  

What could be so expensive? 

It seems that is what it will cost to replace Glenbow School’s 25-year-old playground.  

Amanda Heninger, the chair for the Friends of Glenbow Education Society as well as for the Glenbow School council says, “We were recently told by the Rocky View Schools that our playground at Glenbow School has reached its end-of-life cycle, which basically means it needs to be replaced and they've given us a date of 2025.” 

The Society has begun some preliminary budgeting and looking into the cost of other playgrounds like the one built in Fireside a few years ago. Heninger says, “To be honest, it blows my mind how much it costs, but if that is what it costs to be able to give our students a fully inclusive and accessible playground that can hopefully last for 25 plus years like this one has then that is what we are going to do.” 

Part of the plan entails moving the playground slightly to the south of its current position to allow for more accessibility. As well, the current gravel would be replaced by a rubber base. The structure itself will be created with the goal of supporting all mobility abilities. 

The new playground build will be the first for all the committee members, but they are willing to rise to the challenge of getting it done and are in it for the long haul. They have already had some assistance from other Rocky View schools and RVS administration as well. They will undoubtedly become experts in applying for grants and funding through all levels of government including municipal and provincial, and maybe even federal governments.  

Heninger says, “We are also asking for help from generous businesses here in town, such as Cochrane Home Treasures who really helped us kick off our fundraising efforts and we will be holding other fundraisers in the community.” That kickstart from Cochrane Home Treasures was to the tune of $20,000 presented in cheque form to the society last week. Heninger says, “It was amazing they are just such an amazing service to the community to have them and we are very, very grateful for them for that donation.”  

The society is not sure how strict the rules are about aging playgrounds and whether the Glenbow School playground will be labeled unusable in 2025. However, Heninger says, “We are hoping to actually be ready before the 2025 deadline to have the playground installed.”