Tavistock Public School celebrates new playground

Students of Tavistock Public School and members of the Home and School Association cut the ribbon at the school's new playground on June 5, celebrating the success of fundraising efforts led by the organization. The ceremony included Home and School volunteers, East Zorra-Tavistock (EZT) Mayor Phil Schaefer and key donors, including the Tavistock Optimist Club, Tavistock Opti-Mrs, Yantzi Home Building Centre, U-Turn Ranch and Sprucewood Tack Shop. The ceremony marked an exciting milestone made possible by the strong support of the Tavistock community. Contributed photo

By Diane Danen

Tavistock Public School students joined members of the Home and School Association to officially cut the ribbon on the school's new playground during a ceremony on June 5.

"The completion of this project has been a long time coming," said Fiona Patten, president of the Home and School Association.

Patten explained that although replacing the aging playground had been a goal for many years, it wasn't until the Home and School Association was formed in September 2023 that the structure was in place to launch a successful fundraising campaign.

"The Tavistock community has been incredible," said Patten.

Looking back on the project, Patten said the playground is a reflection of what can be accomplished when a community works together.

"I don't think we could have done this in a large city," she said. "This kind of success is only possible in a community like Tavistock, where people care deeply and show up for each other."

The new playground was designed to be accessible and inclusive for children of all abilities. Features include wheelchair-accessible ramps, eye-level play panels that encourage parallel play, multiple slides, and a variety of climbing structures that provide opportunities for active and imaginative play.

Now officially open for students and families to enjoy, the new playground stands as a lasting symbol of community spirit, teamwork and the generosity of the people, businesses and service clubs that came together to invest in the Tavistock community and its children.