Accessible playground in Cape Breton nears completion after almost falling through

Crumbling playground gets new lease on life A brand new accessible playground is near completion in Coxheath, N.S.

Children in a Cape Breton neighbourhood have reason to celebrate as their crumbling playground has a new lease on life.

A land dispute nearly kept the dream from happening, but perseverance paid off with a brand new, shiny, accessible playground that it is still under construction -- but nearing completion.

“When we joined together to do this project, we didn't know there was an issue with who owned Cantley Village Park,” said Allison MacDonald of the Cantley Village Recreation Society. “Thankfully, through a lot of collaboration between the CBRM and the landowner we were able to come to an agreement.”

For seven years MacDonald and her community group have been fundraising to replace the aging equipment.

After raising more than $130,000 for the facelift, the group found out the municipality didn't own the property.

“I felt a little disheartened, as most people did, because we thought that this issue was dealt with many years before, but unfortunately with amalgamation there seemed to be a lot more hands in the fire,” said Cape Breton Regional Municipality Coun. Steve Gillespie.

Because of the delay, the group is now facing a funding shortfall.

“(The) Department of Community Services was one that we had to give back because we weren't able to use it in time,” MacDonald said. “That was a $10,000 grant that we are hoping to get back. We have reapplied, and that's why we're facing a shortfall right now.”

The municipality is not releasing many details on how the land dispute was solved. And people in this area say they don't really care. They'll just be happy when the playground is open.

The main feature that makes this playground different is it's wheelchair accessible, but that's not the only added feature.

“There's some braille, there's some sign language,” said MacDonald. “It just goes to show in this day and age, everyone communicates differently, everyone moves differently, and we all should be able to play together and live together.

MacDonald says it will be a couple of weeks before the work is done and the playground is open.

But she says it's a space this neighbourhood will be proud of for years to come.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.