Pasqua First Nation unveiled two new playgrounds Monday.
The playgrounds are a partnership with Enbridge Pipeline.
The new equipment for the playgrounds has been purchased as part of a local effort to increase physical activity and ensure healthier children.
“We had to keep the children at bay, because they were really excited to get at the equipment but once they were done, whoa, we had tons of children at both locations,” Chief Matthew Todd Peigan says.
The community will monitor the usage of the equipment in the next few months to decide if they will remove snow as the winter season approaches.
Pasqua First Nation also has a youth centre that is quite popular but it was felt another option was needed to get children outside.
“We saw the youth needed more than just the youth centre to come and gather and to have activities inside; we had to create activities outdoors,” Peigan says. “Children just love to burn off energy and we have got to get them away from those video games that they sit in their rooms on. We’ve got to get them out and doing other activities.”
Research shows playgrounds provide a fun and safe way to stimulate young people’s minds and cognitive skills, physical activity and increase social growth.
(PHOTO: Members of the Pasqua First Nation at the opening of two new playgrounds. Photo courtesy of Pasqua First Nation)