An accessible washroom at the inclusive play park in Liverpool likely won’t be finished until the end of 2026. (Rick Conrad)

Accessible washrooms at Liverpool’s universal playground and splash pad have been delayed as Region of Queens staff look into an off-grid design.

Regional councillors voted in April 2024 to speed up installation of the permanent washroom and change room facilities at the site, next to Queens Place Emera Centre.

But at a capital budget meeting just before Christmas, Director of Infrastructure Adam Grant told council that the $425,810 project has hit some roadblocks.

“We’ve done a lot of work in the background, trying to identify a feasible solution for that site. It is challenging, it’s constrained physically,” he said. 

“We do not have a lot of real estate to work within next to that parcel of land. There’s no provisions put in for electricity to allow for any development… So we have maybe 30 amps of power, which is not enough to run a facility like that. 
There’s no water provided for a washroom facility and there’s no wastewater whatsoever at the site. So it’s those three strict parameters and combined with having not much real estate to work within, that makes it very challenging to find a solution that fits within that footprint.”

The $600,000 Etli Milita’mk playpark opened in October 2023, the result of a years-long community fundraising initiative by local members of Autism Nova Scotia. The region contributed the land and about $112,000 to the project. The province chipped in the rest.

In the meantime, the region has supplied a portable accessible toilet for users of the park and splash pad, which is closed until the spring.

In response to a question from District 5 Coun. Jack Fancy, Grant said that power, water and sewer can’t be extended from the Queens Ground Search and Rescue building nearby because of the way the playpark was built.

“Unfortunately, with the building, the splash pad and the playground, we limited any opportunity to make any kind of addition in that area by putting a perimeter fence right into the curb and sidewalk. Getting involved with the asphalt to remove it, to put power, to put sewer (and) water, is going to get extremely expensive.”

Grant said that’s why staff are looking at some kind of off-grid accessible facility, though it will likely be more expensive to maintain.

“The caution is that it’s going to probably create a lot more of an operational burden than we’d like to see, but it will fulfill council’s wish to have an accessible facility there.”

The accessible washroom and change room at the playpark and splash pad are now expected to be finished by the end of 2026.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Rendering of new spray pad at Etli Milita’mk park. Photo Region of Queens

The spray pad in the long-awaited universally designed playpark at Queens Place opens Tuesday.

The water feature includes sprinklers, a fountain, filler buckets and jet spray units and is the first phase of the complete design

Community members raised over $450,000 with the goal of building a universal playpark that includes ramped decks, braille and audio elements as well as a Spray Pad to make it inclusive to everyone regardless of age or ability.

The park is the realization of a dream shared by several groups throughout Queens.

Local resident Debbie Wamboldt first approached the Region of Queens in 2015 about supporting the construction of a universally designed park. Since then, she was the driving force behind the fundraising effort. For their part, the Region provided the land next to the skate park at Queens Place and will own, operate, and maintain the park for residents. Autism Nova Scotia holds the money in trust and releases it as invoices are submitted by the municipality.

The name Etli Milita’mk (pronounced ed-a-lee milly-dumk) is a Mi’kmaq phrase which translates to “We are playing here” and was selected for the playpark after consultation with Acadia First Nation representatives.

Construction of the park has been delayed by supply and staff shortages brought on by the pandemic but if all goes as it should, the park will be fully opened and operational by the end of September.

In the meantime, the spray pad will be open from 9:00am to 8:00pm every day until September.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com

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