Bob’s Story
My eldest son is a 2003 born. Within a month of him joining his catchment school for Kindergarten, I attended the PAC meeting. At the end of the meeting, they had a round table discussion. My only query was when would the playground be replaced. It was old and was probably in place since I was of elementary school age. The slide was missing as it had been vandalized several years prior. I was quickly informed that any playground replacement would be the responsibility of the PAC. They also informed me that the cost would be in excess of $100,000 which was significantly more than they could afford. Only $10,000 had been set aside for it.
With that it started. I became an active member within the PAC. We all understood the importance of having a playground as it is invaluable in the physical literacy of young children along with the central hub it provides to the local community. Our focus became championing this project. In Year One we educated the families at our school of the situation as many were naïve (as I was prior to my first meeting). Slow strides were made. At the end of Year Two, we started construction of the first phase of the playground which was a Spacenet. Momentum continued to grow and after Year 3 we were able to complete the project. It involved two different playing areas. In one area, a structure was joined to the Spacenet. In the second, we changed the natural landscaping to create a berm which tied into the play apparatus. Imaginative play was a large component of what we were trying to achieve. I continued on as PAC Chair for a couple more years before turning over the role to someone else as I was exhausted. The total cost of the playground exceeded $125,000. We were able to partner with various layers of government, some corporate donations but most importantly the families living in our community to make this project happen.
Presently, my eldest two have left the school and my youngest frequents the playground less and less. However, it is still that vibrant hub of the community for all ages. It is well utilized during school hours along with prior and after school. Most importantly it is a destination and play option even when school is not in session. In my professional life, I have worked on multi-million dollar projects and initiatives. The playground ranks as my most meaningful one.
You are probably wondering why I would share this story with you. I consider the share ownership at Rovers as important as this project. The “why” is very similar to the playground. In absence of it, this vital layer of development and framework in the game is not provided. Over the course of 35 years, BC representation at the National team level has eroded to the point that there are no BC born players in the current men’s National team. For a province that represents around 15% of the nation’s population along with the only one which offers the ability to play the game year round this is disheartening. Part of that is the opportunity for players to continue to develop and excel has been limited after U18. Much like the playground, developing and creating this environment requires a significant investment in time and resources. Regardless, it is needed.
I am not sure if my children will every gain anything from this League 1 format. I am not sure if any of our current players will either. However, if you care about the game, the greater community and potentially opening doors that have long been shut, I implore each of our families to become owners in this initiative and foster a solution.
Thanks for listening to my story.
Bob
