West Kelowna celebrates the opening of Julia’s Junction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 31, 2023

Today, the City of West Kelowna, together with Julia Grassmick and her family, PURKIDS Charitable Foundation and guests, celebrated the opening of Julia’s Junction, a newly constructed accessible and inclusive play space, thanks to funding through the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF).

The project is the realized dream of the Grassmick family, and their efforts to create a first-of-its-kind play space in West Kelowna which provides the community with a place for people of all ages to enjoy, where nobody is excluded because of their abilities. Julia’s Junction features a universal sensory-rich design to provide ways to swing, slide, spin, experience music and more. Play structures and equipment are installed at ground level to avoid using ramps so that everyone has access and can play together.

The City of West Kelowna received $10,000 in funding under the EAF youth component to fund a portion of the installation of an accessible rubberized surface at Julia’s Junction. The City’s partner, PURKIDS Charitable Foundation, also received $100,000 under the EAF small projects component and $10,000 in funding under the EAF youth component for this joint initiative.

Julia’s Junction is one of 903 recently approved projects across Canada that will collectively receive more than $70.8 million in federal funding through the 2022 Call for Proposals (CFP) under the EAF small projects component. In addition, the play space is among 131 projects that received funding through the 2022 CFP under the youth innovation component of the EAF. These projects represent important investments to create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to take part in community activities, programs and services.

The EAF is a federal grants and contributions program that supports construction, renovation and retrofit projects that increase accessibility, inclusion and safety in communities and workplaces. This funding contributes to the Government of Canada's ongoing commitment toward its Disability Inclusion Action Plan, by promoting the creation of a fully inclusive Canada, free of physical, societal, and attitudinal barriers.

Quotes:

“Diversity is a fact, inclusion is a choice. Our government is committed to making that choice every day, and to building a more accessible and inclusive Canada for all. Through the Enabling Accessibility Fund, we're creating more accessible spaces across the country, like the Julia's Junction playground, which will help transform West Kelowna into a more accessible city for people with disabilities. This playground is the fruit of hard work by the Grassmick family and many others in this community. Such projects are essential to removing the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully integrating and engaging with their communities.”

– The Honourable Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities

“On behalf of our West Kelowna Council, it’s our pleasure to celebrate the outstanding efforts of the Grassmick family, PURKIDS and many other sponsors and donors who have worked together to create our first fully accessible and inclusive play space. I am especially proud of Melissa and Julia Grassmick, who have inspired so many to become involved through donations and support, and who have made this vision a wonderful reality in Westbank Centre Park. Many organizations, including the Government of Canada, have contributed and worked together with us over the last year and a half to improve accessibility and ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in our community. West Kelowna is truly the place to be – for everyone.”

– Mayor, City of West Kelowna, Gord Milsom

Read the Julia's Junction Backgrounder.