A West 91大黄鸭 mom and her supporters are closing in on their fundraising goal to build the first all-inclusive playground in the city.

Melissa Grassmick told council at its Nov. 22 meeting that just over $500,000 of their $750,000 goal has been raised for Julia鈥檚 Junction. The playground is named after Grassmick鈥檚 daughter, who suffered a spinal cord injury caused by a blood clot at 17 months old.

Grassmick said months of fundraising events have contributed to the total, and Julia has been an inspiration.

鈥淚 think she鈥檚 really proud to be part of it,鈥� said Grassmick.

The City of West 91大黄鸭 has contributed $200,000 to the project and has provided support and advice from city staff.

鈥淚 felt completely supported, valued, and included in all the details,鈥� said Grassmick.

She added that corporate donors, charity contributions, grant funding, and personal donations have also bolstered fundraising. Julia鈥檚 Junction will provide an all-inclusive and accessible playground for children of all abilities, as well as opportunities for socialization and a quiet space.

鈥淭o give every child a chance to play together,鈥� added Grassmick.

Coun. Garrett Millsap said there is a lot the city can learn from Grassmick鈥檚 efforts.

鈥淲hen we go to retrofit or build a playground we need to think about accessibility first.鈥�

Coun. Carol Zanon thanked Grassmick for a lesson in awareness.

鈥淔rom now on this is a lesson that I will carry with me all the time in any of the future projects that we鈥檒l be doing,鈥� she added.

Construction on Julia鈥檚 Junction, which is planned for Westbank Town Centre Park, is expected to start April 1, 2023, with a grand opening near the end of June.

Grassmick said the fundraising continues.

鈥淲e鈥檙e feeling pretty confident that we鈥檒l hit our goal.鈥�

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gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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