May 28 – One member of Norfolk County council was “blown away”, while another called it a “feather in the cap” for the area.
Whatever phrase you choose, children and adults are all raving about the new, fully accessible playground at Delhi’s Delcrest Park.
Located in the heart of town, the $50,000 structure comes with a rubberized surface material, connecting sidewalk and accessible parking, not to mention a whole lot of fun features.
“I think that this park is clearly evidence of Norfolk County’s commitment to improving accessibility for everyone,” said Norfolk Mayor Kristal Chopp. “This park is a huge leap forward. One thing I’ve learned about being a politician is that no decision will ever make everyone happy, but I think at the end of the day that this is a fundamental principle that everyone can agree on, that all kids deserve a happy and fun childhood.”
Shelley Darlington, Norfolk’s Director of Corporate Support Services, noted that staff expects upwards of 9000 individuals with disabilities will benefit from using the playground in its first year alone.
“We expect to have visitors from the surrounding communities participate in this park and as many of our operational staff have said, we see this park being used all day, every day so it’s quite a benefit to the community.”
Money for the project came courtesy a $50k federal grant from the Enabling Accessibility Fund. Construction began in October of 2018 and finished in March.
“This grand opening coincides very nicely with National Access Week – it is very important for everyone in Norfolk to have access and be included in their community,” said Waterford councillor Kim Huffman, who serves as Norfolk’s liaison to the county’s Accessible Advisory Committee (AAC). “An active community, a healthy community that promotes wellness and being connected, you can never go wrong with that.”
The park was built by New World Park Solutions in Brantford and includes swings, slides, ramps and various other features.
“I’d like to thank everybody for making Norfolk County a more inclusive society,” said Debbie Pike, chair of the AAC.
Residents can visit the park at 366 Delcrest Ave.
