City council is standing by a proposed project that will use percussion instruments to entice children back to nature.
In June, council directed city staff to assist with TRUE in the Trees, a project designed by local early childcare professionals to encourage unstructured outdoor play in a natural setting. It involves the park/pond area near the college at 28th Street NE and Fifth Avenue NE, where the project’s proponents would like to clean up and install, among other things, interpretive signs and drums.
“We believe that drumming brings people back to a place of self-regulation and security and they’re more successful in moving forward in whatever it is that they’re interested in doing,” explained Friday Bailey of the Shuswap Children’s Association, which will oversee a $10,000 grant to bring the project to fruition.
Last Monday, council received a letter from Earl and Charlotte Makortoff, neighbours of the park who think the project should go elsewhere.
First, the letter counters a point made by city staff that the park currently is without a name. The Makortoffs claim the park is named after the neighbouring Sherwood Forest subdivision.
As for the installations, the Makortoffs “take issue with installing drums and other resonance equipment in this quiet neighbourhood,” stating noise/vibrations would not be pleasant for neighbours or local waterfowl. They are also critical of the idea of unsupervised play near water.
“I respect what the writers of the letter are saying, that they don’t want kids in their backyard making noise with drums,” commented Coun. Chad Eliason, who went on to champion the location given its proximity to residences and recreation facilities.
“The goal of this project is to get kids back into nature, and where will there be more of an urban setting where you can get kids back into nature to interact with one another… close to neighbourhoods,” he said.
Coun. Debbie Cannon said the project is also being supported by the city’s social issues committee.
As for the question of the name, Cannon said she had spoken to people who had lived in the area for years and had not heard the municipal park referred to by that name.
When she had an opportunity to address council, Charlotte Makortoff asked who would be responsible for maintaining the equipment should it get vandalized. City administrator Carl Bannister said that remains to be seen.