Oliver shares residents’ frustration with playground delays

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Olivia Bradbury

Construction delays at a playground in Tilton sparked inquiries from residents which found their way to the table at Spaniard’s Bay council last month.

In a progress report on work throughout the town, Mayor Tammy Oliver said pea stone had been added and new equipment erected at the Spaniard’s Bay playground, though the area still needs to be touched up. Upgrades to the Tilton playground, meanwhile, had not yet begun.

Oliver said the Town’s recreation director has been repeatedly contacting the company hired to do the Tilton upgrades. At the time, the company was working on a project in Gander, and said it would begin the upgrades the following week.

“I know this is very frustrating for residents,” said Oliver. “Most of our summer’s gone and we’re still waiting on swings. And I fully understand, I’m frustrated as well, but it is out of our hands right now.”

In preparation for the upgrades, Oliver had the recreation director ask the company for the footage specifications and clearance area needed for the swing set. “So, we could prep the ground and be ready for when they come here to start immediately,” Oliver said, “instead of what happened with Spaniard’s Bay.”

The Town was not given prior notice of the work that needed to be completed at the Spaniard’s Bay playground before the upgrades could be implemented. That led to the upgrades being delayed.

Oliver said the 12 inches of pea stone required for the upgrades at the Spaniard’s Bay playground was an unexpected expense.

“We were not expecting so much for our playground here in Spaniard’s Bay here by the school, and I’m assuming it’s going to be the exact same price or close to it for Tilton, as well,” said the mayor. “But it’s got to be done.”

A motion was passed to amend the Town’s gas tax funding application — now called the Canada Community-Building Fund — to cover the extra expenses incurred by the projects.