Years in the making, Northumberland’s Backyard Project has almost crossed the finish line and will officially be unveiled later this year.
It’s anticipated the new outdoor accessible treatment and playground space located outback at the Five Counties’ Cobourg Division Street location will benefit thousands of kids across Northumberland.
Five Counties Northumberland program manager Elizabeth Carmichael tells us more.
Work around the initial vision and idea for the project started back in 2019, with public fundraising ramping up officially in 2022.
And it didn’t take long for supporters to rally behind the idea of a fully-accessible backyard space that would literally open the door to inclusivity, more therapy options and increased treatment capacity, in addition to cultural awareness and outdoor educational program opportunities.
In the years since – through to last month – work has been continuing to transform the previously unused 25,200-square-foot parcel of land and make the proposed “field of dreams” a reality for local kids and families and the broader community. (Before this project, the space couldn’t be used due to what were described as safety and accessibility issues from a nearby drainage ditch and traffic from an adjacent driving and parking area.)
To bring the $370,000 project to life, it took a number of supporters, community partners, donors, grant help, and more – and that’s something Five Counties plans to celebrate after the final finishing touches still to come, says Carmichael.
Details of the gathering are set to be firmed up and released later this year.
To name just a few of the project features, the “backyard” has a “beautiful” accessible track, an accessible wheelchair swing, garden and gazebo area, in addition to a sensory piano structure, communication board and other similar equipment, as well as a teepee and cultural awareness space.
Carmichael tells us more about how this addition will enable new care.
Carmichael says the therapeutic rec team is also excited about the new space and the programming possibilities.
In the earlier words of Five Counties’ CEO Scott Pepin: “Once realized, the Northumberland Backyard Project would be space which offers inclusion by natural design, creating a place for children with and without disabilities to play easily and build friendships.”
While the space won’t just be for Five Counties’ use, it is anticipated to be a big help as demand for services has continued to rise in recent years. Last year alone, Five Counties supported more than 1,570 kids and youth in Northumberland (and more than 6,100 across its coverage area.)
Waitlists also continue to be a constant challenge, especially under high-demand services such as speech and occupational therapy, with waits that can range from one to two years, explains communications co-ordinator Bill Eekhof.
Eekhof notes that Five Counties did see an 11 per cent drop in its waiting list last year – although, there were still some 2,309 kids/clients waiting for services across all Five Counties sites, which include Peterborough, Kawartha, and Haliburton/Minden.
While Five Counties spearheaded the project, it was in partnership with agencies like the County of Northumberland, EarlyON, YMCA Northumberland, and the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre, meaning the new accessible space will also be available to their clients and other area providers.
(Written by: Sarah Hyatt)
