We’re excited to announce that the Olympic Heights School Playground Revitalization Project has been selected as a recipient of the Parks Foundation Calgary Building Communities Grant, receiving $50,000 toward our project.
The Building Communities Grant provides capital funding of up to $50,000, or 50 per cent of a project budget, along with fundraising support to help communities create vibrant outdoor spaces that reflect local needs.
This funding is an important step toward our goal of creating a more accessible and inclusive playground for the 500+ children who use the Olympic Heights School playground every day. The revitalization will include replacing aging play equipment and upgrading the existing pea gravel surface with accessible recycled rubber surfacing.
The Building Communities Grant prioritizes projects that reduce barriers to nature and play, support equity-deserving or historically underserved communities, enhance safety and accessibility, and promote environmental stewardship and climate resilience. These priorities closely align with the vision for the Olympic Heights playground.
“This $50,000 investment brings us another important step closer to creating a playground where every child can play, explore and feel included. We’re incredibly grateful to Parks Foundation Calgary for recognizing the importance of this project and supporting our vision for a safer, more accessible and welcoming outdoor space for our entire school community.
— Michelle McMullen-Freadrich, Playground Subcommittee Member
With this funding in place, we can continue building momentum toward our $625,000 fundraising goal and the next stages of the project. Over the coming months, we’ll continue working with our project partners, engaging our school community and pursuing additional funding opportunities as we move toward construction in 2027.