Earlier this week, Cochrane celebrated the grand opening of the new inclusive Centennial Park.
Over the last months, the well-known park has been under construction to create an inclusive playground with help from Variety – The Children’s Charity of Alberta. The Town of Cochrane was honoured to contribute by providing funding, staff resources and additional parks equipment and support.
The celebration included speeches from Mayor Genung and Larry Horeczy, Chief Operating Officer of Variety, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony to commence the official opening.
“Thanks to the generosity of Variety and other local donations, Cochranites now have a welcoming space to play and enjoy,” says Mayor Genung, Town of Cochrane. “We are honoured to work with Variety on this special project, turning the formerly known red park into the new inclusive blue park.”
The inclusive playground aims to break down barriers and create an inclusive space for those who are facing physical, developmental, emotional or learning challenges.
“Variety serves to create a more inclusive Alberta, and we have been working with Cochrane since 2017 when planning began for the first playground upgrade. No child or family member living with a disability should be excluded from our public spaces,” says Larry Horeczy, Chief Operating Officer, Variety. “Working together with all the amazing community members and the Town means Cochrane becomes more inclusive and children and families will have a chance to play and be social and be a part of the community.”
In addition to the new park, The Town of Cochrane was able to give the old red park new life through donating the playground structure to the Emmanual Foundation, a non-profit that collects decommissioned playgrounds and gives them a second chance by sending them to developing countries.
The following partners and sponsors supported this inclusive community space: Town of Cochrane, Variety – the Children’s Charity of Alberta, Kiwanis Club of Cochrane, Lions Club of Cochrane, Rotary Club of Cochrane, Spray Lakes Sawmills, Inter Pipeline, Kal Tire Replay Fund, Cochrane Foundation, Cochrane GM, MDL Landscaping, Green Drop Rock Products, Cochrane Rental Centre, Big Fern Contracting.