Bill Brecht Park in the city’s southeast end will see a spruce up thanks to local residents who have banded together to fundraise for new park equipment. The Bill Brecht Park Community has mounted a number of fundraisers in hopes of garnering dollars to replace aging equipment in the park.

Cynthie Gaetz is with the Park Committee. 

“We’ve just been getting our committee together, getting bylaws and everything set up,” explains Gaetz. “We’ve started doing some fundraising. Cathy Zimmerman has been doing an awesome job with that.”

Thus far, the group has done a cotton candy sales fundraiser and is just wrapping up a Co-op Gift Card Fundraiser which provides valuable Humboldt Co-op Gift Cards and a return to the fundraiser. The popular Twins Treat cupcakes are next on the list for sales events soon to be followed by a perogy fundraiser. 

Within the Bill Brecht community, there are representatives for three different recreation equipment providers, so in an effort to remain local and provide fair and equitable consideration, the group is posting numerous playground options from the companies. Residents from across Humboldt are invited to weigh in on those options by reviewing what each has to offer and considering the costs. Gaetz says the Park Committee intends to set up a mechanism to allow people to have a vote on which options are preferred. 

“To  make sure everything is fair, we gave our committee a smaller percentage of the vote as to which company we are going to go with. Then we are actually having a community vote on which company.”

The process is similar to a tender where companies provide the best prices and costs for services. Gaetz says that’s likely to save the group a considerable amount of money. 

The Committee has begun posting submissions from the three local providers on its Facebook site Bill Brecht Park Community. Currently residents will need to request to join the group, but once accepted, park goers can see the wide array of play options available.

The group is looking for innovative ideas and designs for playground equipment that might not exist elsewhere in the city. Of course there will be the staples of swings and climbing apparatus, but there are other novel designs sure to entertain youth in the area.

“We just had a presentation where we saw a zip line like the one in Kinsmen Park in Saskatoon. There’s an outdoor video game where you can actually play with other parks in the world. There’s a climbing wall - those sorts of things.”

In addition, the group is hoping the park will be inclusive in the sense that elements will cater to children with physical mobility issues, but also sensory and intellectual challenges. While Humboldt has accessible parks, the hope is to make Bill Brecht Park Humboldt’s first all-inclusive park. 

“It’s more than just catering to those in wheelchairs,” explains Gaetz. “Even those with depth perception issues, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) - these are things that affect kids when they are playing. So we’re really interested in making it more inclusive for everybody.”

There are currently five people on the committee who have been working with the City of Humboldt on finalizing the dollar value of the park for their contribution. However, the ongoing fundraising will allow the residents of Humbodt to experience the best possible play equipment and park space for a recreational outlet that sorely needs improvement. 

More information is available on the Bill Brecht Park Upgrade Facebook page.