New natural park presented at Holiday Beach

Article content

Children can now play and explore on a playground surrounded by nature thanks to a $ 30,000 commitment from Enbridge Inc.

Article content

The new “nature park” officially opened Wednesday at the Holiday Beach Conservation Area in Amherstburg, with a ceremony attended by students from the Natural Pathways Forest and Nature School, as well as local politicians and dignitaries.

“This natural playground is a great asset to the Holiday Beach Conservation Area,” said Claire Wales, president of the Essex Region Conservation Foundation, after the unveiling of the new park equipment.

“Children can participate in active and imaginative play in this unique nature-inspired playground.”

The play area reflects elements of nature such as logs, stumps, and rocks rather than a traditional steel playground structure.

Wales said playing outside in a natural setting has shown physical benefits for children, including developing gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and helping to prevent obesity, while allowing children to learn with everyone. your senses.

Article content

Enbridge, an energy infrastructure company that owns and operates the Amherstburg Solar project, provided the funding for the project through its commitment to leadership and corporate social responsibility.

In 2016, Enbridge was also instrumental in helping create the Holiday Beach Demonstration Wetland, a controlled wetland habitat that improves water quality by reducing phosphorous, and an adjacent parking area.

“We are very grateful to Enbridge for their continued partnership in support of environmental education and stewardship in the Windsor-Essex region,” added Wales.

Just over a year ago, the foundation opened an outdoor classroom on Holiday Beach, funded by donations from the University of Windsor Alumni Association.

Article content

Schoolchildren use the space during field trips to the conservation area.

The area used for the classroom has a small stage and benches made from felled trees in the park during a storm.

The Holiday Beach Conservation Area, located along the Lake Erie shoreline, welcomes more than 30,000 visitors a year, including thousands of children who visit during the day and participate in outdoor education programs.

The park is open for day use from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, from mid-April through Thanksgiving. The gates are closed to vehicular traffic during the winter months, but the park is open to walk-ins.

[email protected]

twitter.com/KotsisStar