The popularity of the Adventure Playground pop-up park pilot project in Coquitlam has city staff looking at ways of making the attraction a permanent summer feature.
The park, which was one of only a handful in Canada that emphasizes unstructured, risky and creative play, drew approximately 90 to 100 visitors daily from across the region, according to a staff report.
"It was a very successful pilot," said Raul Allueva, Coquitlam's general manager of parks, recreation and culture. "We believe it has merit to continue as an ongoing city program."
Allueva said attendance was brisk, with weekdays more popular than weekends. Over the course of the summer, staff observed a high of 200 children entering the park, while numbers dropped off when air quality advisory warnings went out in August.
The drop-in space — which was located next to the City Centre Aquatic Complex between July 2 and Sept. 2 — provided planks of wood, hammers, nails, tires, tarps and other materials, and allowed children to use their imagination to build and create.
The concept is based on emerging research that has found young people benefit from free and independent play, learning how to think critically and develop creativity while identifying hazards and assessing risks.
"Adventure playgrounds provide environments for children to explore with minimal adult guidance and intervention," said a staff report. "Parents and caregivers are encouraged to observe their children from outside the play area while children build, create and alter the space as they choose."
Allueva said there would likely be a funding request in the 2019 budget to keep the program going next year.
Last summer's pilot project was expected to cost $26,000, but because of its popularity, another staff person was added to oversee the park, which increased the overall budget to $40,000. Budget consultations are expected to get underway in the next few months.
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