Another donor steps up to rebuild High Park playground after arson
Posted March 27, 2012 7:30 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Another donor has come forward with a major pledge to rebuild a High Park playground after it was destroyed in a fire earlier this month.
Landscape Ontario has promised $300,000 in parts, design and labour to rebuild the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground at the south end of the park. The organization made the announcement at a community meeting Monday night.
A community representative said the new play structure could be up and running by summer with that money, but only if the City of Toronto co-operates.
“Time is of the essence. What we’re really looking for is for the city to grease the wheels so we can move from design this week into implementation before mid-April,” Jeff Derksen, chair of the High Park Residents Association, told CityNews at the meeting.
Canadian Tire has also pledged $50,000 for the project.
Parkdale-High Park Coun. Sarah Doucette has said that numerous other groups, including the local fire department and local unions, have come forward with offers to help.
A Facebook group has been set up to help coordinate the effort.
The wood playground castle was originally built in 1998, largely by volunteers.
Christian Kupiecki, 19, has been arrested and charged with arson and attempting to obstruct justice in the March 17 fire.
