The new playground at Old Yale Road Elementary is officially open, following its grand opening ceremony on Monday (Jan 18).
The ceremony, conducted with several pre-recorded videos and on-site social distancing, featured speeches from Surrey Board of Education Chair Laurie Larsen, Surrey-Whalley MLA Bruce Ralston, PAC representatives and school staff.
"This kind of equipment provides an important outlet for outdoor physical activity and also has a direct impact on indoor instruction, allowing students an opportunity to collaborate with others, develop decision-making skills and successfully take on leadership roles," said Larsen, thanking the Ministry of Education for providing a $125,000 provincial grant for the playground.
"To our staff, students and parents, I hope you enjoy this new playground and I look forward to seeing the positive impact it has on your local community."
Vice-principal Carla Green highlighted the accessibility of the new playground for students with physical disabilities, noting its design "truly welcomes everyone" and allows all students to play together.
"This is an equitable gathering place for all students to enjoy one another," she said. "To everyone involved in the process of creating our playground and making it a space for all students to have fun, thank you so much, we are extremely grateful."
Acknowledging Old Yale Road's position as an inner city school, principal Joe Leibovitch said the province and the Surrey School District worked hard to ensure students in the area have the same access to proper outdoor equipment as students in other parts of Surrey. He also noted the new playground continues to make Old Yale Road Elementary a focal point of City Centre as it has been for the last 56 years.
"We know now more than ever that quality outdoor recreation is crucial to the health and wellness of our school community," he said. "Here in the City Centre, there aren't a whole lot of opportunities for outdoor options for families, and Old Yale Road has proven to be a hub for the community."
