Southwood School and Clearspring Middle School have had their nature playground proposals approved by the Hanover School Division board.

Assistant Superintendent Rick Ardies says these schools have been looking for ways to encourage children to be active while learning outdoors.  Ardies notes nature playgrounds tend to make use of a variety of different features including hills, sandboxes, tunnels to crawl through and logs to climb all encouraging children to be active, run, jump and play together.

The Southwood School playground is estimated at $35,000 and the parent council has just started fundraising.  The playground for the Clearspring Middle School is estimated at $40,000 and all the fundraising has aleady been completed.

Trustees looking at the proposal for the Clearspring Middle School nature playground."Clearspring Middle School is almost ready to get going.  They have initial drawings from a landscape engineer.  Once approval is gained they will be ready to get going in the next several weeks.  Southwood School is just starting their fundraising.  So they've set aside the next school year as phase one, which will be fundraising.  By a year from right now they would love to be starting their construction."

Principal of Southwood School Rod Kehler feels fortunate that the parent council has adopted the playground fundraising project.  He explains they have a spring concert on May 7th where a fundraiser is planned as well there is a large grant they can apply for that's due in December.

Kehler is hoping to start bringing in fill for the hill by this summer and notes they are looking for fill.  He adds the plan is to have sod laid by fall and then put in all the other elements and be ready for students by June 2016.

Ardies says the possibilities that are being created at these schools is exciting.

"When opportunity is there and we can engage the imagination and the creativity of children, wonderful things can happen.  And, again here, being creative and imaginative in a way that encourages active living has very, very healthy possibilities."