Renovation of Vickers Park Playground Underway

Thunder Bay – The play equipment at Vickers Park has been removed as part of the city’s initiative to revitalize the area and enhance accessibility.

Werner Schwar, the supervisor of parks and open space planning for the City of Thunder Bay, states that the new play area will cost $1.1 million.

The playground will feature a green rubber surface and equipment in shades of brown and tan.

Schwar mentioned that the new park will integrate seamlessly into the urban space of Vickers Park, and he expects children to particularly enjoy the moving elements of the new playground.

“Kids seem to like that when they, no matter their ability, can get together with their friends and have motion. . . and have the ability to climb, transverse, run around on the decks and stuff. It will have some of those very popular things from Boulevard here as well.”

Features such as the covered merry-go-round, a rocking double-sided bench, and other accessible options will mirror those found at Boulevard Lake.

Additionally, a shade structure will be erected at the park entrance, designed for year-round use across all four seasons.

The cherished turtle will soon be reintroduced and seamlessly incorporated into the park’s redesigned layout. Currently undergoing repairs and receiving a fresh coat of paint courtesy of the city’s parks department.

Originally slated for completion last autumn, the project faced delays due to the requirement of consistent temperatures above 10°C for the specialty surface to properly cure. Consequently, the project was rescheduled for 2024.

Schwar reassured that the park’s construction is anticipated to conclude by the end of June, just in time for the Teddy Bears Picnic.