New playground for Lytton Park

[attach]5320[/attach]A revamped playground will be swinging into Lytton Park this spring after two phases of upgrades are completed.

According to Ward 16 councillor Karen Stintz, Lytton Park, one of the largest green spaces in the ward, had its playground equipment scheduled for replacement under the city’s capital upgrades plan. After a meeting with local residents in the park itself, a plan of action was formed.

Neighbourhood resident Christina Lisinska said she comes to the park with her one-year-old daughter Hannah Layton at least once a week. She didn’t know of plans to update the park but said she was happy to hear of it.

“We love it very much,” she said. “It’s one of the highlights of our day because we get to be outside doing something physical.”

The first phase of the plan to upgrade will see the entire playground structure being replaced by a new one, catering to both older and younger children. Lisinska said that would be good as her daughter is too small to use the current playground equipment.

“Maybe there could be more for little, little kids because they do use it the most,” she said.

Phase two will see a new entrance at the southwest corner of the park at Avenue Road and Lytton Boulevard.

“There will be a rock garden there,” Stintz said. “We’re going to improve the pathway into the playground area, plant some new trees.”

The current pathway to the playground is unpaved. As part of the upgrade plans, a series of paved paths will lead to the playground as well as a vine-covered gazebo.

Removal of the current playground was slated to start this fall, but according to Stintz’ website that work could not begin as the ground had already froze.

The entire project is scheduled to be finished by June.