A new accessible playground has opened at St. Anne School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, after the family of six-year-old Makenna Hiebert led a fundraising effort that raised more than $370,000. Makenna, a Grade 1 student who uses a wheelchair, cut the ribbon at the playground opening, giving her the opportunity to play alongside her friends at school.
Makenna began using a wheelchair after sustaining a brain injury when she was three and a half years old. Her parents, Brittany and Justin Hiebert, subsequently became aware of the accessibility barriers their daughter and family faced. They led the fundraising campaign to create a playground where Makenna and other children could participate in play.
The upgraded playground includes rubber surfacing and a play structure connected by five ramps. Accessible equipment includes a teeter-totter and a slide fitted with transfer platforms, enabling children who use wheelchairs to access the equipment. The project took approximately a year and a half to bring to completion.
Brittany Hiebert said the family was pleased to make the playground available to the wider community. The completed facility allows Makenna to participate in playground activities alongside her school friends.
