ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD - As the result of work done by the local district education authority, students at Echo Dene School were greeted by new playground equipment when they returned to classes on Aug. 20.

Brothers Scott, left, and Damian Kotchea play on the slides that are part of the new playground equipment at Echo Dene School in Fort Liard. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

A new set of swings and a rambling, brightly-coloured playground system that includes three slides have replaced the previous wooden equipment. The former system that was made of pressure treated lumber was old and unsafe, said Melanie Louie, the chair of the Fort Liard district education authority (DEA).

"It wasn't healthy," she said.

When the current board was elected in January, one of its goals was to get new playground equipment. The previous board had laid the groundwork for the project, said Louie.

Jonathan Yeo and other former board members raised approximately $6,000 towards the project and also earmarked some of the board's budget surplus for the cause. The board, however, was still a long way from the amount they needed.

The turning point came when Jackson Lafferty, the minister of Education, Culture and Employment, came to the hamlet in the spring. As part of his visit, Lafferty and some staff from the department were taken to see the existing playground.

"They were kind of flabbergasted to know," said Robert Firth, referring to the state of the equipment.

Following the visit the department promised to match whatever money the board spent on the playground up to $38,000. The new equipment, which was installed over nine days at the end of July, cost about $62,000.

The board secured about $26,000 in in-kind donations from a variety of sources including community members who volunteered their time, staff from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources who raked the playground area and Kingland Manufacturing who donated eight hours of welding.

"There was a lot of work that went into it," said Firth, the board's vice-chair.

Both Louie and Firth agree that the new playground is far better than its predecessor.

"Parents have been taking their kids down there. It's been pretty popular," Firth said.

When choosing the equipment, the board decided to stick to the basics including slides and swings. Part of the system is also wheelchair accessible.

Laura Nelson, 10, approves of the board's choices.

"It's cool, it's fun," she said.

Nelson said she likes the long slide and the new swing set.

Finishing touches are still being done on the playground but the board is already looking forward to its next projects. The board's next major goal is to improve attendance at the school, said Firth.

The board's philosophy is if you can make the school more attractive, both aesthetically and with the playground, then students will want to be there, he said. The board is also raising funds to purchase a school bus.

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