Victoria’s Stadacona Park playground reopens following destructive fire

The City of Victoria has announced that the playground located within Stadacona Park is officially open for play. 

It reopened on Thursday, September 10th after the former playground was destroyed in March, leaving children without a playground in the park for approximately seven months. 

Since the blaze, City staff have prioritized replacing it so the community can get back to enjoying its inclusive and accessible play features.

“The climbers are ready, the slides are shining and we’re excited to welcome families back to this much-loved neighbourhood play space,” said Brooke Stark, assistant director of Parks and Open Spaces. 

“We’d also like to thank the community for its patience, support and fundraising efforts throughout this process.”

The City’s work has brought the new play structure and surface back to its previous state, with minor adjustments made based on equipment availability. 

There are some new features in the playground, including an inclusive duo spinner, a six-foot tube slide, a three-foot sensory roller slide and additional climbing elements that enhance play for children of all ages and abilities.

According to City staff, the initial playground structure, built in 2023, cost around $600,000. 

The replacement playground was completed within a budget of $350,000, and was funded through City contingency reserves. 

A community-led fundraising campaign offset the City’s cost by contributing $11,562 to the project.

With the playground now finished and open for play, the City is looking to make landscape improvements in the park with the aim of improving visibility and supporting a safer, more welcoming park environment.

In April, VicPD arrested a suspect who was allegedly responsible for the fire that burnt down the playground.