Students at Blackie School are one step closer to getting a new playground where they can blow off steam, thanks to the province.
Alberta Education is giving the Foothills School Division $250,000 to upgrade the school's existing play structure.
This announcement comes just as the modernization for the kindergarten to Grade 8 school 35 kilometres southeast of Okotoks nears completion.
Upgrades to the facility were announced in March 2020, which included the addition of a community hall and a public library alongside sewer and HVAC system upgrades and re-doing the floor in the gymnasium.
Foothills School Division board chairwoman Theresa Letendre said modernization projects typically don't receive funding for playground upgrades, only new builds do. So, this was a rather unique announcement that the board was more than happy to hear.
"We were really thrilled about that," she said.
"It's so great that the school is getting modernized and the playground gets to follow suit."
The school and its playground were built around the same time, Letendre said, so everything was due for a facelift.
Blackie School council was in the process of fundraising for a new playground when the school modernization was announced last year, Letendre said.
A quote from a playground company has been secured and is now ready to submit following funding confirmation.
Letendre said without the help of the community, this wouldn't have been possible.
"It's such a huge effort from the community and from the council and from the fundraising society to pull this off," she said. "It's a real celebration for the community and everything they've been through throughout this whole process."
