As parents of children attending Highland Park Elementary in Pitt Meadows, BC, Canada, we are deeply committed to the school's mission statement: “To provide every child every opportunity to develop to their full potential every day”. We believe that this mission should extend beyond the classroom and into all aspects of our children's school experience, including play. Currently, our playground is not universally accessible. This means that some students face barriers to enjoyment and full participation due to the lack of inclusive equipment.

Without PAC support, a small group of dedicated parents collectively raised $20,000 for new playground equipment. Our mission for the HPE East Playground reboot was to create a playspace which was both accessible and inclusive. Accessible; meaning that children, their caregivers and teachers can use the equipment regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. Inclusive; meaning that the space is a universally designed, sensory-rich environment that enables children to develop physically, socially and emotionally. An engaging place that provides the just-right level of challenge and offers opportunities to succeed. A place that goes beyond minimum accessibility to create play experiences that meet a variety of needs and interests of our current and future students.

We continued this mission until our committee was shut down for interpersonal reasons. However, we are concerned that our School PAC executive and administration are rushing to spend this money on equipment labelled 'accessible', but which isn't truly universally accessible.

We want these funds used judiciously for truly inclusive playground equipment. According to the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (2017), universally designed play spaces promote social inclusion and equal participation among all children regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

Our request is simple yet significant - ensure that our hard-earned funds go towards creating a playground where all students can play together without barriers. Let us show our children through action that their school community believes in providing "every child every opportunity" as promised in its mission statement.

Please sign this petition urging Highland Park Elementary PAC executive and administration to invest in genuinely universally accessible playground equipment and to complete the achievable mission of the HPE Playground Reboot sub-committee that raised the initial funds.