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Frank Hobbs playground slides short of online contest

Despite making it to top-10, playground falls short of winning Aviva Community funding
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Frank Hobbs elementary school students Evie Frost, Yousef Al-Odarallah, Zane Martin and Abiha Naser sit in front of principal Ingrid Fawcett and Andrea Frost, top right, on the school’s soon-to-be-removed playground. Travis Paterson/News Staff

It was worth a shot.

Despite earning votes from more than 1,400 people the new playground design for Frank Hobbs elementary school was not among the Aviva Community Fund panel’s judge of winners on Tuesday. Parents and members of the parent advisory council had their fingers crossed as the new playground project, named Together in Harmony, was shortlisted in the Community Health category, but did not win the big prize.

The playground entry was successful enough to survive the 10-day voting period in October and crack the group of finalist. It was the only B.C. entry into the $50,000 to $100,000 level of the Community Health category. A panel of judges made the final decisions for all seven awards.

The good news is Frank Hobbs’ PAC can still build a playground, but it will be a scaled back project from what they had hoped. With the Aviva contest, the PAC had goals of adding a sensory pathway, outdoor classroom, and an interactive art feature and other accessories to a contemporary playground with platforms, monkey bars and a slide.

reporter@saanichnews.com