HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-06-17, Page 13Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, June 17, 2009 - Page A 13
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Photo by Dominique Milburn
With one little snip, Jewel Plunkett (Above, with principal Angela Cowley) opened a playground two
years in the making to Colborne Central Public School students during an unvieling on June 13.
Playground dedicated to Plunkett
Dominique Milburn
signal -star staff
A chain-link ribbon bearing the
names and wishes of each student was
the final touch on a long journey for
Colborne Central Public School and
the community Saturday as work com-
pleted on the installation of a new play-
ground structure.
In a touching move, Jewel Plunkett,
mother of the late Const. Robert Plun-
kett, made the official barrier snip that
opened the playground to a rush of
children who had been eagerly antici-
pating its arrival since 2007.
"It's sad, but nice," Plunkett said as
she watched a band of more than 60
students clammer up the ramps, ladders
and bars of the fully -accessible struc-
ture. Dedicated as the Robert Plun-
kett Memorial Playground, a plaque
fixed prominently at its base honors its
namesake and his accomplishments.
"This is absolutely a good day for
everyone," Plunkett continued. "I'm so
proud to be here."
The new playground structure is fully
accessible to allow access for physical-
ly -challenged children as well as any-
one with mobility challenges, such as
parents with strollers and grandparents
babysitting grandchildren. Not only
does this position the school for the
future by addressing new legislative
requirements, it also opened the door
to funding that would not otherwise
been available -- funding that covered
the additional cost for an accessible
structure.
During summer months, on weekends
and outside of school hours, the play-
ground will be open to the community
and will represent the first structure of
its kind within the municipality.
A partnership with the Carlow Morn-
ing Star Masons allowed the school to
receive an Ontario Trillium grant to-
wards the project. Funding was also
generously granted from a number of
other organizations, including Ron-
ald McDonald House, Hydro One,
Wal-Mart, Goderich RONA, Goderich
Kinsmen and the Goderich Lions Club.
Numerous parents and other local busi-
nesses and organizations have also
generously contributed to the cause.
Colborne Central was fortunate to be
one c F 40 playground projects in Can-
, ada this year to receive a grant from
an organization called "Let Them Be
Kids."
This organization, founded by re-
nowned humanitarian and philanthro-
pist; Ian Hill, supports projects that
bring people together around a com-
mon goal in order to make their com-
munity a better place.
Let Them Be Kids requested that the
playground structure be dedicated and
named after a fallen hero, such as a sol-
dier, police officer or firefighter. Fol-
lowing community input, the decision
was made to name the structure after
Detective Const. Plunkett, originally
from the Auburn area, was a York Re-
gional police officer and was killed in
the line of duty in 2007.
New monkey bars, swings, a picnic
shelter and a brand new 400 -metre track
are also part of the overall project. The
track will be dedicated to Bob Leckie,
a World War II veteran who visited
Colborne students every Remembrance
Day, and was part of The Memory
Project, the Dominion Institute's flag-
ship educational program designed to
connect veterans and students online
and in classrooms across the country.
Leckie passed away in 2007 and was
very much admired by the children.
The June 13 event may have offi-
cially opened the playground, but the
formal dedication is scheduled to take
place September 23.
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CHRISTENINGS
our ocation or • urs
Rev. Chris Morgan
Pastor Paula Morgan
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