Kiwanis Club members unveil new sign and name for park on Thursday. Photo by Kate Adams The Kiwanis Club of North Bay in partnership with the City of North Bay unveiled the new name and sign for the playground at Lee Park Thursday afternoon.
Kiwanis Club members unveil new sign and name for park on Thursday. Photo by Kate Adams
The Kiwanis Club of North Bay in partnership with the City of North Bay unveiled the new name and sign for the playground at Lee Park Thursday afternoon.
The club has been raising funds and replacing equipment over the past few years in order to offer a safe, fun and imaginative place for area kids to play.
Full details contained in the news release below.
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The Kiwanis Club of North Bay is proud to announce Kiwanis Playworld – the new name for the playground rebuilt by the Club in partnership with the City of North Bay.
The playground was originally established by the Kiwanis Club of North Bay in 1971 and known as Kiwanis Fantasy Land. In recent years, the dated equipment was removed largely in part to increased safety standards. Over this same time period the Kiwanis Club of North Bay has worked diligently to raise money, create partnerships, and establish a leading edge playground facility.
And, with two of three phases of development complete, $150,000 invested by the Kiwanis Club of North Bay and the City, together we have achieved that goal. The playground currently boasts child and youth swing sets, a new-age 2 or 4 person teeter-totter (called the Relax), a fire truck themed child play set, and a HAGS youth play set, which is the first of it's kind installed in North America.
“Imported from Europe, the HAGS equipment provides a unique play environment commanding both imagination and motor ability of children. Whether they are climbing the sloping leaf or ladder, traversing the wind sail, or challenging a friend on the rodeo the play set is moving. With all components set in ball joints, the equipment reacts to the specific weight and balance of the child. As they grow, the equipment will provide more reaction, continuing to challenge their abilities,” Past President Jeff Valin, Chair of the Kiwanis Playworld Committee.
Some of the more subtle enhancements to the area are the landscaping improvements. Traditionally a wet area of the park, the playground site was properly irrigated before the equipment was installed, new top soil was spread throughout the area as a home to the plush sod that surrounds each play set. The pathway and park enjoy 24hr lighting with a number of Kiwanis Benches a long the way. The Kiwanis Benches are a real part of this story. It is namely how the Kiwanis Club or North Bay generated the funds for this project.
Located at the marina, along the waterfront, and in various parks throughout the City, these benches are a great addition to the landscape of our community and use of our citizenary. “Kiwanis Benches provide a meaningful way to dedicate the memory of a loved one or family in one hand and in the other, contribute and know that the proceeds are being used to advance playground development for our children,” Past President John Richardson, Chair of the Kiwanis Park Bench Committee.
It is the hope of the club that the new sign will draw attention and users to the Kiwanis Playworld. As Kiwanis moves forward continuing to raise funds through bench sales, we are also engaged in working with the corporate citizen's of our community. Key contributors to the playground are Peter and Lynda Moseley-Williams of Saturn of North Bay, who have donated at each stage of development, are committed to the importance of the Kiwanis Playworld, and share in the satisfaction of providing safe and healthy environement for our children to play in. To that end, it is our collective desire to introduce integrated pieces and barrier-free play sets to the Kiwanis Playworld. It is important to the Club that there be equipment available and accessible to the entire community. Kiwanis will be working diligently with the City, other corporate sponsors such as Saturn of North Bay, government agencies, and the Kiwanis Aktion Club to design, fund, and implement this addition. Community support is both appreciated and welcomed.
“Today is a landmark for the Kiwanis Club of North Bay's commitment to the Waterfront and the community. The new name and sign is testament to more than 25 years of leadership and history with this playground and is a symbol of the power and success that partnerships offer. The City of North Bay is both committed and excited to continue to work with the Kiwanis Club of North Bay to complete the next phase of development. Both integrated and barrier-free play equipment address a much need niche in our community and we are proud to support this endevour,” Mayor Vic Fedeli, City of North Bay.
