School groups looking for city dollars to build playgrounds now face a limit on the amount of help they can receive.
Among a host of recommendations on new playground policy, city council set a $60,000 cap on the amount of money school groups can receive in funding.
Previously as part of the community capital grants policy, parent groups could receive up to $125,000 in city funds for playground projects.
Several school groups have benefitted from the program as they try to raise funds to replace aging play structures.
Local school boards have no budget for playground construction or replacement and the structures are now largely built with work and fundraising from parent groups.
The playground at Ronald Harvey School, which cost $213,000, received $45,333 from the city. The Albert Lacombe school playground received $26,624 from the city as part of its $340,000 budget.
The playground at Bertha Kennedy School received $84,645 and the city has extended a $16,000 loan to the parent group as well. The playground at école Father Jan Community School, which cost $500,000 to construct, qualified for a $100,000 grant.
Mayor Nolan Crouse had proposed earlier this year to remove playground projects as eligible projects for the community capital grant program. At the time he said he was worried they were crowding out other projects, but while reviewing the issue this week instead proposed limiting funding.
Crouse said he believes the city has to send a clear message that parent groups and schools need to be the main part of the solution with their fundraising efforts.
"It think it was also the right thing for the message to the schools," he said. "We have an obligation, but so do the schools and so do the parents' group."
Crouse received unanimous support from council for lowering the amount playground projects would be eligible for under the grant.
Even though she recognizes fundraising for playground projects puts a burden on parents, it also creates strong parent groups and brings the community together, said Coun. Carol Watamaniuk.
"As much as it is a lot of hard work by the parents, I think real camaraderie is created. I think when we make it too easy that might be lost."
Maintenance project
Councillors also added maintenance of city playgrounds into the upcoming budget cycle.
After a thorough review city administration recommended creating a new program for maintenance and replacement of playgrounds across St. Albert.
In addition to maintaining city owned playgrounds, the public works department currently does restorative work on school playgrounds, but not replacement.
The program, which will still require approval during the fall budget, would create a reserve fund with $335,000 in annual contributions that would continue to pay for maintenance and create a stable source of revenue for replacing city playgrounds.
School playgrounds would still have to be replaced by parent groups.
Crouse said he likes the idea of a maintenance program, but it will have to get in line with all the other programs when council debates the budget this fall.
"We will have to see if that amount of money is going to compete at budget of time."
