Sunday May 4, 2025 | LANGFORD, BC [Updated 11:33 am & 12:37 pm | Updated May 5, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
A big turnout to enjoy outdoor family time was organized to support the fundraising efforts for a new playground at Ruth King Elementary School in Langford.
Moderate weather helped bring out over 1,000 parents, kids and community supporters to the Ruth King Elementary School Craft Fair on May 3 on the grounds of the school.
Situated in central Langford right at Jacklin and Goldstream, Ruth King Elementary can accommodate up to about 500 students.
Members of the Ruth King Elementary Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) feel the playground capacity falls short of current and future needs.
The funding of playgrounds:
The Province does have a Playground Equipment Program (PEP) that was started by the Horgan NDP government, where about five schools per year are given funds for playground development. Ruth King organizers aren’t waiting for that, they’re gunning for their own new playground.
In 2023, the PEP provided $5 million toward 25 new school playgrounds across 25 school districts; each school can receive up to $195,000 for a playground. Playgrounds are expected to be designed, built and installed over the next year.
“The program significantly reduces parent-led fundraising that was previously needed to help build playgrounds,” said the Ministry of Education and Child Care in May 2023. Between 2018 and 2023 the BC government has provided $35 million for new playgrounds at 256 schools, benefiting more than 63,000 students. The funding builds on the Province’s commitment to provide safe learning environments for all students.
PEP funding for 2025-2026 has not yet been publicly announced by the Ministry of Education and Child Care.
Sooke School District support:
The Ruth King PAC fundrasing rep Kelly-Jaymes Beck says that funds haven’t been available from the Sooke School District (SD62). Classroom budgets are always tight.
It’s also possible that SD62 wants to stay within the bounds of the Provincial funding program and not favour one school over another.
However, according to Beck, there may be some funds from the recent addition of modular classrooms that could be used for the playground.
The Ruth King PAC is apparently now hoping to have a meeting with SD62 about options for moving forward with the new playground.
However, according to an SD62 spokesperson on May 5: “Playground enhancements are not included within the scope of prefabricated classroom projects and are therefore not eligible for funding.”
“The only exception is when a playground must be relocated to accommodate a prefabricated addition. In the case of Ruth King Elementary, relocation was not required. As such, any unused funds from prefabricated additions must be returned to the Ministry for reallocation toward future capital projects, “says SD62.
Playgrounds in SD62:
In the Sooke School District (SD62) — which has schools in Colwood, Langford, Sooke, Metchosin and Port Renfrew — schools that have recently received PEP funding support have been John Muir Elementary (in Sooke) and before that Dunsmuir Middle School and Colwood Elementary (both in Colwood).
- PACs work closely with the SD62 Facilities Department on any playground enhancements to ensure all components meet required safety and design standards.
- Over the years, the District has supported the development of several nature-based playgrounds in partnership with school communities.
Ruth King in a downtown location:
Are there any special considerations for Ruth King given its location in the downtown core of Langford where the grounds are also used by the community outside of school hours?
“A school district’s budget is finite and must be focused on fulfilling its core mandate: educating students,” says SD62.
“While we are unable to allocate funds specifically for enhancing playgrounds based on their location or potential use by the broader community, we recognize the value of shared spaces,” says the SD62 spokesperson.
“When possible, we collaborate with municipalities to enhance recreational amenities that benefit both students and community members. Examples of these partnerships include the turf fields at several Langford schools and the sport court in Colwood at Dunsmuir Middle School.”
SD62 works with PACs:
“The Playground Equipment Program (PEP) is designed to reduce the financial burden on Parent Advisory Councils (PACs), who have traditionally fundraised for school playgrounds,” says SD62.
“While the Ministry of Education and Child Care provides core funding through the PEP, PACs continue to play a vital role by fundraising for enhancements or additional features that fall outside the scope of the grant. This collaborative approach helps meet local priorities while recognizing that provincial funding must be allocated equitably across all school districts.
City of Langford support:
The City of Langford is being supportive — through the community grants in aid program the city provided $5,000 to the playground project this year and has provided other types of support (like marketing for the May 3 event). The City sees the need to be integrated with the school’s outdoor field and playgrounds as an open space in the downtown core.
This harkens back to a time when the Province didn’t have a playground development fund and schools who had the capacity to fundraise did better for playground development than others. Part of the push by Ruth King to expand their playground capacity is for keeping up with the needs of population growth in Langford.
Beck says that if Ruth King Elementary is chosen by the Province for PEP funding this year that funds privately raised to date would be subject to a PAC discussion for application elsewhere for school community need.
Meanwhile, the PAC is not waiting for a provincial grant. “The reason we’re not waiting is because the community’s not waiting,” says Hayley Watling, communications rep for the school PAC. ‘We have so many people that need it now. It’s not about waiting our turn in line,” said Watling. “We have the ability to do something about it, we’re going to build,” she told Island Social Trends.
Accessible playground design:
“The first playground at Ruth King Elementary was built 10 years ago and it was short then,” says Beck.
The new playground design includes a rubberized surface and accessibility features.
Accessibility is about more than wheelchairs or walking aids. It means giving grandparents the opportunity to play with theri grandchildren, offers neurodivergent children a stable surface, and supports mothers with strollers.
Fundraising:
The Rotary Westshore Sunrise Foundation is partnering with Ruth King Elementary School PAC to do the fundraising through the sale of engraved bricks, as posted at RuthKingPlayground.com .
Langford has seen engraved paving bricks before for other community initiatives, including the privately funded Sarah Beckett Memorial Playground on Glen Lake Road behind Starlight Stadium.
Fundraising will be done primarily through the selling of engraved paving bricks that will line both sides of the sidewalk on Jacklin Road from the intersection at Goldstream, over to the school.
The fundraising goal is $380,000, all of it through private donations.
Engraved bricks price points are $250 (4″ x 8″ standard brick, 6 lines of text), $500 (8″ x 8″ standard brick, 3 lines of text), and $1,000 (8″ x 8″ with logo, on granite).
Who was there:
A vibrant swath of the community was there enjoying a fun opportunity to be outdoors with family and community.
Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson said he was impressed by the turnout. Councillors Colby Harder and Mary Wagner came by to be part of the action too. Local MLA Ravi Parmar dropped by later in the day.
Over 90 vendors offered a range of things to buy or eat. Choir and sports team and other kids activities happened.
Also on hand to boost the power house day were the Victoria Superheroes who made their way through the crowd.
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends covers local, regional, provincial and national news. Sruff that matters to community, lifestyle and healthy living in communities.
Serving west shore communities of Greater Victoria since 2008 (starting as MapleLine Magazine 2008-2010, then Sooke Voice News 2011-2013, then West Shore Voice News 2014-2020, and now Island Social Trends 2020 to present).
Founder and editor throughout that journey is Mary P Brooke, who in 2025 received a King Charles III Coronation Medal for her contributions to community through journalism.
===== RELATED:
- New multi-use sport court at Dunsmuir Middle School (September 8, 2023)
- Dunsmuir Middle School gets playground funding (May 16, 2023)
- New accessible playgrounds in 24 school districts in 2022 (May 1, 2022)
- NEWS SECTIONS: LANGFORD | SOOKE SCHOOL DISTRICT SD62