Hermitage Park Build Week

Made possible through a grant funding opportunity, join the Town, KABOOM! Inc. and Foresters Financial for 'Build Week' to help us create a new playground for Hermitage Park.

How to participate:

We're looking for local residents, community groups and organizations to volunteer for one (or all!) of the three days that make up Build Week. Volunteers will help KABOOM! Inc., Town staff and Foresters Financial prepare the park area for playground construction and construct the new park.

Build week takes place from October 3 - 5, 2024. October 3 and 4 are scheduled to be park preparation days to get us ready for the big Build Day on October 5! On October 5, together we will be building the new play structure at Hermitage Park ending the day with a special ribbon cutting ceremony for the new park.

Registration:

Registration is required. To register to volunteer please click here and select your preferred day.

What to expect:

Location: Hermitage Park - 95 Church St N Ajax, ON L1T 2W4 (playground near Lincoln Alexander Public School).

Parking is available across the street from the Park at the Village Arena - 100 Church St N, Ajax, ON L1T 2W4

What's provided: Breakfast, lunch and water will be provided. Gloves and other safety materials will be provided for the projects/tasks that require them.

What to wear: The playground build will happen rain or shine. Please come dressed for the weather. Closed-toe shoes are required; sneakers or work boots that you don't mind getting dirty are advisable. Please leave valuables at home as secure storage is not available on site.

Build site rules: All participants must comply with the following practices. These rules have been established and agreed upon to ensure the safety, comfort and respect for all involved. Failure to comply will result in immediate dismissal from the project.

• Work together, treat everyone with respect and use family-friendly, inclusive language

• Report any unsafe or inappropriate behavior to on-site staff

• Please comply with all requests from on-site staff

• Follow all safety guidelines

• Only pre-approved power tools are permitted

• Closed-toe shoes are required

• Youth may not participate in areas of active construction

• No smoking, alcohol or drugs

Build Week Schedule

Prep Day 1: Thursday, October 3, 2024

25 volunteers are needed.

• 9:00 AM - Volunteers arrive and register

• 4:00 PM - All prep work completed (approximate time)

Prep Day 2: Friday, October 4, 2024

15 volunteers are needed.

• 9:00 AM - Volunteers arrive and register

• 4:00 PM - All prep work completed (approximate time)

Build Day: Saturday, October 5, 2024

175 volunteers are needed.

• 8:00 AM - Volunteers arrive and register

• 8:30 AM - Kick-Off Ceremony

• 2:30 PM - Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

Why was Hermitage Park selected for this opportunity?

The playground was originally installed in 2005 and has exceeded its lifecycle. Due to this the playground is no longer meeting the needs of the community and is not AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) compliant. Originally, the project was scheduled to be constructed in 2025, but with the grant funding from KABOOM! Inc. and Foresters Financial to fund the upgrades for the playground, the build is expected to be completed this October.

About KABOOM!

KABOOM! is a national nonprofit that works to end playspace inequity for good. They unite with communities to build kid-designed playspaces that can spark joy and foster a sense of belonging for the kids who are often denied opportunities to thrive. Since their founding over 25 years ago, they’ve built or improved 17,000+ playspaces, engaged more than 1.5 million community members and brought joy to nearly 12 million kids. Learn more at https://kaboom.org/

About Foresters Financial

Foresters Financial is an international financial services provider with a unique history that began in 1874 when they set out to provide access to life insurance for everyday working families. They have always remained steadfast in their commitment to helping people do more of the good they want to do for their families and communities; that’s why each year, Foresters Financial invests millions to support causes that mean the world to their members and enrich their lives.

Previous Community Engagement Opportunities

Hermitage Park Design Day was held on August 7, 2024 and provided an opportunity for the community to provide their feedback about the future of Hermitage Park. The day included a Kids' Design Workshop, where kids were able to help design their future playground by drawing their dream play space, and Adults' Design Workshop where you could learn more about the project and how to get involved to help turn the kids’ dream play spaces into a reality. An online community survey was available until August 10 for those unable to attend Design Day to provide feedback.