32 playgrounds across Windsor to be upgraded or replaced

Playground in Windsor, Ont., on Friday, Aug. 6, 2021. (Chris Campbell / CTV Windsor)

Windsor, Ont. -

The City of Windsor is investing $9.4 million to replace 32 playground structures citywide.

The funding was approved unanimously by city council in July and work is expected to begin later this year.

“Outdoor playgrounds have always been an important component of our parks system,” says Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “But as the COVID-19 pandemic has clearly shown, these public play spaces are absolutely essential for maintaining a strong community.”

Parks and recreation officials say all playgrounds will remain open during construction and once complete, nearly 70 per cent of all 125 public play structures in Windsor will be upgrades and modernized.

The 32 parks set to receive new playgrounds include:

• · Ward 1: Lake Laguna, Matthew Rodzik, Dynasty and Kominar parks
• · Ward 2: McKee and Bradley parks
• · Ward 3: Fred Thomas and Alton C. Parker parks
• · Ward 4: Gignac, Willistead, Garwood, Kid’s Alliance and Devonshire parks
• · Ward 5: Mayfair, Robert and Francois parks
• · Ward 6: Homesite and St. Paul Grove parks
• · Ward 7: Cora Greenwood, Ganatchio/Little River Corridor Trail, Seneca, Stillmeadow and South Rendezvous parks
• · Ward 8: Coletta, Thurston and Shawnee parks
• · Ward 9: Kenilworth, Maple Leaf and Patrick McGuire parks
• · Ward 10: Avondale Playlot, Brookview and Aboriginal parks

In a release, the city said from 2018 to 2020, City Council invested more than $7 million to replace 28 playgrounds citywide.

The 10-year capital budget City Council approved this year committed $1.6 billion toward modernizing public infrastructure, including more than $137 million toward improving parks and recreation. In 2021, about 10 percent of the capital budget, $17.6 million, had been allocated toward upgrading parks and recreation amenities.

A virtual public information consultation will open August 6 on CityWindsor.ca to invite input from residents about what features, themes or special considerations they would like to see applied in their proposed new neighbourhood playground.

Residents are encouraged to complete the online surveys by August 27.