Parents, volunteers pitch in to build new playground at Ecole La-Belle-Cloche
'With limited budget, you have to turn to a community build'
It has been a busy start to the school year at École La-Belle-Cloche in Rollo Bay, P.E.I. — including outdoors, as work gets underway on a new playground.
This is the first full year for the French school in its new building after moving in April.
"For the last four years we were anticipating this new playground that we would need," said school principal Marise Chapman.
"The parent committee really rallied around it, and last year made a big push and raised the money necessary to purchase the playground. But with limited budget, you have to turn to a community build."
Volunteers, including local welders, Holland College students, parents, grandparents, and Chapman herself are all pitching in to help build the playground.
Playground to be completed soon
Altogether, Chapman said parents raised $92,000 for the playground, through pancake breakfasts, online auctions, barbecues and more.
With a number of volunteers working together, Chapman said she hopes to have the playground completed by the end of the week.
And apart from the new play structure, Chapman said being in the new school building has been a big relief when it comes to space.
"I didn't have to plan my schedules around the availability of classrooms. In the other facility I didn't have enough classrooms. So staff room, my office, every square feet were used in teaching spaces."
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With files from Island Morning