Briar Hill Playground Virtual Town Hall Survey

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. We wanted to check in with all the Briar Hill School families and community members that are invested in this project to see if everyone is happy to stay the course and continue raising money for our current design or if other options should be explored to get a playground built sooner.
To date we have raised $230K and will need another $198K to build our original design. We have applied for a few grants (one worth up to $30k, one worth up to $125k, and one worth up to $185k) and will find out if are awarded any of those between July and November. These grants could allow us to build next year, however if we do not get those we will need to continue fundraising. We have provided alternative designs that are less expensive and will help us raise the money faster so we can build sooner. All of the design options are on our website:
https://www.briarhillplayground.com/design-options

When answering the survey questions please consider the following:
1. Please involve your kids when looking at the different options. We are doing this all for them after all.
2. Our current supplier, Habitat Systems, has graciously donated a free installation worth $57k. If we go with a different supplier we will be doing a volunteer build and will need to have 30+ volunteers sign up over 3 days to build the playground.
3. The cost of our playground has increase by over $100K since we first started this project due to supply issues and inflation. We can expect cost increases each year we don't build.
4. We were awarded a grant from the Parks Foundation worth $25K. We will lose this funding if we do not spent it by June 2024.
5. Finally, if you haven't donated already please do so. All donations over $25 will receive a tax receipt.

1.Which of the following paths forward do you prefer?

Continue applying for grants and fundraising to build Option 1 even if the playground is built in 2025 or later.

Give it one more year of fundraising and grant applications before switching to a less expensive option.

Switch to a less expensive option and get a playground built before 2025.

Get whichever playground we can afford, no matter the size, built in 2024.

2.If we are awarded a grant that allows us to build any playground, which is your favourite design?

Option 1A: Original Habitat Design

Option 1B: Original Habitat Design with Nature Theme

Option 2: Habitat Design - Smaller Scale

Option 3: BDI Design

Option 4: Park N Play Design

3.If we opt for a less expensive playground to get it built sooner, which is your favourite design.

Option 2: Habitat Design - Smaller Scale

Option 3: BDI Design

Option 4: Park N Play Design

4.The cost of the rubber play surface is around $50K - $75K more than the cost of gravel play surface. As our school is an accessible school the playground committee felt it was important to have a playground that was accessible too. Which option do you prefer?

Switch to gravel surfacing and a less expensive playground design in order to build as soon as possible.

Keep Option 1 but switch to gravel surfacing so we can build the playground sooner.

Keep the rubber surfacing but switch to a less expansive playground design so we can build the playground sooner.

Keep Option 1 and the rubber surfacing even if it takes 1+ years to raise the remaining funds.

5.How important is playground equipment/features designed for children with limited mobility to you?

6.How important is playground equipment with sensory features to you? This includes roller slides, quiet spots, music stations, etc.

7.How important is high quality playground equipment/features to you?

8.How important is locally supplied playground equipment to you?