Huntsville School. (Google Maps)

By David Opinko

School in Iron Springs approved for $215,000 in playground funding

Jun 6, 2020 | 6:00 AM

IRON SPRINGS, AB – Officials at a small-town Southern Alberta school were surprised to learn that their grant application had been approved.

Dexter Durfey, Secretary-Treasurer at Palliser School Division, says this will help to ensure their playground will be ready for the Huntsville School’s reopening this fall.

“We feel that it’s essential, not only for the school children, but after hours and weekends for families to go and give the children some opportunity to do some recreation, the younger children, while the parents are visiting.”

This was one of 18 projects that received funding from the Ministry of Education.

“Our government is proud to support school divisions with this new funding – especially now,” says Education Minister Adriana LaGrange. “It is crucial, now more than ever, to help projects like these move ahead for schools and communities during these challenging times. Playgrounds are extremely important to local communities and provide a place for all children to explore, develop and have fun!”

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Huntsville School, located northeast of Picture Butte, is in the middle of being replaced, transforming it from a K-9 school to one that goes all the way to Grade 12.

Durfey believes the new playground will be one that youths from all over will want to use.

“There’s some fancy slides and climbing structures and rope bridges. It’s fantastic.”

The school division will also be using some of their own funds to make a multi-purpose asphalt surface for activities like basketball.

Due to the “magnitude” of the playground, Palliser Schools will be putting out a tender in the near future and looks forward to sharing the completed design once it is ready.