This month marks the opening of a playground dear to our hearts, Sacha’s Park. The playground was championed by the Chenier family who were inspired to build a park in memory of their beloved son, Sacha. Born in 2002, Sacha suffered from cerebral palsy, blindness, epilepsy and cognitive delays, but despite these challenges, he was a bright and outgoing individual. On June 9, 2014, Sacha sadly passed away, but his memory lives on in this special place.
The inspiration for Sacha’s Park came while on vacation in Walt Disney World in 2010 when the Chenier family enjoyed the opportunity to visit a specially-adapted park. The experience brought so much joy to Sacha and his family, but it also marked the realization of how inaccessible most parks are. The Chenier family wanted to change this.
In an effort to achieve the dream of having a park accessible to people of all abilities, the Chenier family led fundraising efforts and applied for grants, including the Ontario Tire Stewardship’s Community Renewal Fund grant. Touched by the story, OTS provided the grant to go towards the installation of a recycled rubber playground surface made from old Ontario tires.
Today we celebrate the opening of Sacha’s Park in L’Original, in Champlain Township, which includes interactive play structures to be enjoyed by children of all abilities. Visit Sacha’s Park in L’Original, in the new Place La Seigneurie residential development.
Check out the photos of Sacha’s Park below.
