Regina plan could see up to 40 playgrounds eliminated

There could be significantly fewer playgrounds in Regina if the city adopts a new plan that focuses on upgrades and accessibility.

A city report discussed at a meeting of the executive committee on Wednesday includes the recommendation of eliminating up to 40 playgrounds in order to reach a sustainable service level.

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Members in attendance voted 7-0 to forward a recommended service level to the Nov. 18 council meeting. At the recommended target, there would be nine fully accessible “destination” playgrounds ensuring no one was farther than 3 km away from one.

Another 103 city-owned playgrounds built to a minimum accessibility standard would be designated as “neighbourhood” playgrounds, ensuring all residents are within an 800 m walk.

But the report flags that the city owns more playgrounds than this service level requires. If the plan is approved, the administration would bring back a strategy on “divesting” the extra playgrounds.

The administration clarified that the park space could remain, just without a play structure.

It also wouldn’t happen overnight.

“I think it’ll depend on the shape of the playground when it’s identified for divestment,” Diana Burton, the city’s director of recreation and cultural services, said. “If it’s already in poor shape, it might happen immediately. But the intent would be to be selecting the ones that are in poor shape.”

Burton said the strategy would include gathering community feedback before any playgrounds are removed.

“I would say that there are a number of playgrounds that we have that are simply a slide and a swing, and they may be used to having those really close to their house, but it wasn’t necessarily the intention that that be a robust play structure, which is what we would be upgrading it to,” Burton said.

“I think talking divestment is really talking the reality of meeting our service levels, what we can provide, and what’s financially responsible.”

Meeting the targets identified in the plan would require an additional $2.3 million, but a request for that increase would not be brought forward until the 2028 budget at the earliest.

Ward 5 Coun. Sarah Turnbull, an advocate for accessible playgrounds, said she supports the recommendation.

“My heart is probably with the recommendation where we keep all the playgrounds and it’s all very accessible,” she told reporters. “But when you are talking about things, about standards, and you are talking about divestments of playgrounds, you do need to do that research. And I will say that this report is probably one of the best reports I’ve read.”

Turnbull cited Jumpstart Park in Glencairn as an example of a destination playground with fully accessible features.

“I have a daughter in a wheelchair, but I also have a son who’s five, and he likes to jump up and down,” she explained. “So we can’t just go to a playground that doesn’t address monkey bars. We need to have a playground that has monkey bars and stuff that she can do.”

“The idea of an inclusive and accessible playground is that kids can play side by side, and there’s something for everyone to do.”

Mayor Chad Bachynski described the approach as thoughtful.

“I think we have to be realistic, and we heard that today, about what we can maintain on volume for different services across the city,” he said.

“I think we have to be mindful about making sure that we have the right services in the right places around the city, but also recognizing that we can’t be everywhere all the time.”

If the report gets approval at the next city council meeting, the service levels will be considered, with public consultation, during a refresh of the city’s recreation plan in 2027.