The wait is finally over for a new playground built on the former tent city site at the Victoria Courthouse.
The fence around the playground came down earlier this week, nearly a year after dozens of campers who staked their claim on the courthouse lawn were cleared out.
Kids from nearby Christ Church Cathedral School were seen testing out the new equipment Thursday, which includes a swing set, slide and spinning wheel.
Staff at the school are calling it a “gift to the community.”
“It’s going to definitely add a lot for the kids in this area,” said Head of School Stuart Hall. “There hasn’t really been anything just focused on kids, besides our school and the playground, but this is really something for the downtown people, and we’ve got lots of people moving downtown.”
Hall said the schools has taken a few classes to the new playground, and he’s seen many curious neighbours checking it out as well.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars in remediation work got underway in January after soil samples taken at the site found contaminants like lead, gas, diesel and traces of meth.
Crews dug up a half-metre of topsoil and replaced it with new soil, as well as removed nine trees on the property.
As for concerns that the playground could turn into another encampment, no overnight camping will be permitted at the site.
