The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has temporarily reversed its decision to remove a popular playground at Centennial Sports Park in Virgil after hearing from passionate residents who called it a key part of community life.
“I’m both relieved and happy to hear the town has decided to keep the playground,” said Julie Saggers in an email.
On April 8, the town announced on Facebook that the park’s southside playground and swings would be taken down April 14.
But the town hit pause after many residents shared personal stories about its value to the community, according to an April 9 news release.
“Based on that response and the fact that the equipment does not pose any immediate safety risk, staff decided to delay the removal temporarily,” said chief administrator Bruce Zvaniga via email.
But since the playground is near the end of its life, the town is focused on keeping it safe for now, with no plans to reinvest in it.
“No additional funds will be spent on repairs or upgrades to this aging structure,” he wrote. “The Town’s operational approach is focused solely on maintaining safety and extending use, not reinvesting in equipment slated for removal.”
Zvaniga said delaying the playground’s removal shortens the gap between removing the old playground and adding new features to the splash pad, and shows the town is listening to the community and trying to respond in a way that puts people first.
“We’ve received several positive responses from community members who appreciated the Town’s willingness to listen and respond thoughtfully,” he wrote.
The pause of the playground’s removal is thanks to staff, Zvaniga said, who are flexible, community-minded and good at balancing council’s big-picture goals with what residents need right now.
Originally, the playground was flagged for removal due to its age, location and accessibility issues with its sand surface.
But after a detailed inspection, staff said it’s still safe to use.
“We heard how important this playground is to the community,” said Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa in the release.
“The park is remaining open as long as its safety can be maintained,” he continued.
Inspections will now happen every two weeks instead of once a month and unsafe pieces will be removed as needed, states the release. But, as mentioned, no new equipment will be added.
There are several families in NOTL with children of all ages, said Saggers, estimating that around 2,000 to 3,000 school-aged children live in the area.
“It’s a space that means a lot to many families in our community, including mine,” she wrote.
The loss of the EarlyON Centre and other family programs in town over the years has made spaces like this even more important for families, with some depending on these playgrounds for outdoor play and connection, she said.
And as someone who tries to stay out of the sun whenever possible, Saggers also found this playground to be one of the only ones in the area that offered reliable shade — another reason she’s glad it’s staying.
“That made it a safe and welcoming space not only for me, but for so many parents and children during the hotter months,” she said.
Another NOTL parent, Emma Thwaites, said the original decision to remove the playground without a replacement did not make sense and was disappointing, given how many kids and families use the playground.
“We need to make sure we are keeping our kids in mind when making decisions with our town facilities,” she said in a written interview. “I’m really glad that the town reconsidered their initial decision.”
Meanwhile, the playground near the splash pad is getting an upgrade: Staff plan to add accessible features, shaded areas and new swings, according to the release.
“Great to hear that the town also listened to concerns regarding the park closer to the splash pad and that they are going to prioritize much-needed improvements to that playground area as well,” wrote Thwaites.
The release states more information and next steps for the playgrounds at Centennial Sports Park in Virgil will be shared in a future report to council.
