One of the most popular playgrounds in Prince George is about to get an upgrade. On Thursday, Duchess Park Playground will be closed for construction as crews work to install new fall protection at the facility, which will make the playground completely accessible to wheelchair users. The improvement will replace the aging artificial grass turf with rubber protection made of recycled tires, which will have a much longer life expectancy.
Starting Thursday, fencing will be installed around the facility for site security. The dog park, bike track, and tennis courts will remain open. The City anticipates that the playground will reopen in about the third week of July.
Five City parks are scheduled for replacement this year:
- Sanderson
- Jackpine
- Quinson
- Starlane
- Ridgeview
All of the playground replacements are expected to be completed prior to the 2018-2019 school year.
The selection of playgrounds for replacement was based on an assessment laid out in the City’s 2017 Playground Plan that factored in a number of criteria including community feedback and playground conditions. The five year plan outlines the schedule to repace 25 of the city’s 66 playgrounds with Canadian Standards Association (CSA)-compliant equipment. No playgrounds are scheduled for removal without replacement this year.
A new playground for Heather Park
The city will be constructing a new playground at Heather Park thanks in large part to funding collected by the Heather Park Parent Advisory Council. The PAC fund-raised about $115,000 to build a new, accessible facility at the park. Construction will begin later this summer and is expected to be completed in time for the fall school year.
