Rubber surfacing of the playground at Parksville Community Park is continuing and expanding, with the goal of completing the work in the coming years. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

play on

Additional resurfacing approved for Parksville playground

Jan 17, 2023 | 4:25 PM

PARKSVILLE — More funds have been allocated to enhance one of the region’s most popular playgrounds.

Through a $300,000 grant from the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada and $100,000 of City money, sections of the rubberized play surface will be replaced and expanded at the Lions Ventureland Playground.

Jamie Arden, city manager of operations told councillors on Monday, Jan. 16, one specific area to upgrade the playground at the Community Park is replace a section under a well-used piece of play equipment.

“The apparatus still has lots of life but we’re spending some money, (the surface) doesn’t have the compaction that it should,” Arden told councillors.

“It’s just a heavily used piece of equipment, (the surface has) had a lot of wear on it.”

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Work is set to begin shortly and will be complete by the end of March. It will be completed by Marathon Surfaces who won the bid for $399,505 plus applicable taxes.

Councillor Adam Fras expressed some concern over the rubber surfacing, suggesting it gets too hot in the peak summer months.

He asked about additional shade options for people around the water park or elsewhere in the space.

Arden said they’re looking at ways to add shade, including through a project due in the future at the north end of the playground.

“Right now we’re looking at paving it and putting in picnic tables and looking at the ability to do some shading within there and that will then partner with both the spray park and the playground surfacing,” Arden said.

He added replanting trees was also under consideration.

“I definitely feel it’s missing a lot of shade, not just by the spray park but when you see parents and people hanging out on the benches while kids are playing, it can be quite hot in the summer and this rubber surfacing seems to increase the heat into the area,” Fras said.

Work this winter will also see the completion of a sidewalk surrounding the play area to help with accessibility.

Plans for rubber re-surfacing at Parksville Community Park are proceeding. (City of Parksville)

The popular Lions Ventureland Playground draws family’s from outside the Oceanside region, due to the expansiveness of the space and surrounding amenities of the Community Park.

Nearly a year ago a pirate ship themed expansion of the playground opened.

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