New Westminster – The City of New Westminster has partnered with New Westminster School District, Fraser Health, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, and SCOPE BC to place four Live 5210 playboxes with toys and equipment for community use in Qayqayt Elementary School, Grimston Park, Hume Park, and Moody Park.  The playboxes are filled with basketballs, soccer balls, flying discs, skipping ropes, hula hoops, and other equipment along with an outdoor games playbook. 

The community playboxes can help support children's health and well-being by encouraging physical activity in local settings in the neighbourhood. While advice on proper nutrition and physical activity can be confusing, Live 5-2-1-0 offers four simple daily guidelines for kid health that are easy to remember: enjoy 5 or more vegetables and fruits every day; power down and keep screen time to no more than 2 hours a day; play actively at least 1 hour each day; and choose healthy — zero sugary drinks!

In other municipalities, such as the City of Surrey, families have been donating toys and equipment to the playboxes.  Community members will be welcome to donate good condition balls, sand toys, and other equipment to the New Westminster playboxes as well. 

“I’m excited to see this program expanding in New Westminster and to watch our community become more active through play,” said Mayor Jonathan Coté. “I believe this initiative is important in not only increasing physical activity, but also increasing community belonging.”

The playboxes will be ready for community use on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at all four locations: Qayqayt Elementary School, Grimston Park, Hume Park, and Moody Park.  The playboxes will be locked with a combination lock, with the code available on New Westminster’s Healthy Community website.

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Contact

John Stark, Acting Manager of Planning
City of New Westminster
604-515-3777 or