The Hillcrest Playground & Schoolyard Revitalization Project needs your help!
Hillcrest’s outdoor space is one of our community’s most cherished escapes. Research shows that play that takes place outdoors is vital to children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development. The much loved existing playground and turf has served the community well for over 20 years but was in dire need of repair. The time has now come for us to reinvent the space for the next generation of Tigers and surrounding community members- many of whom use the playground and turf beyond school hours and on weekends.
We are thrilled that the project has already broken ground- much sooner than we had anticipated. Working closely with the City and the TDSB, we look forward to the installation of a new play structure, a hugely improved new turf field & surrounding track, a passive turf gathering space, pavement paintings and games, and some new benches and landscaping. Currently, the City of Toronto’s financial contribution towards the project sits at $280,000 through Section 37 funding. The TDSB will be covering the cost of replacement of the turf square footage that was removed. On top of these amounts, our fundraising team is also committed to raising $70,000 by June, 2025, to further supplement the expansion of our field and any further enhancements to the space. This is where we need your help!
For your reference, please see the attached renderings that have been approved to-date.
We hope you will join us in getting our new, safe, accessible and robust outdoor space to the finish line. We are looking forward to the entire Hillcrest Community, and surrounding friends, having the opportunity to reconvene in this cherished space later this school year.
Douglas Cornell (Hillcrest Principal)
Laura Norris (Hillcrest Parent Council Treasurer)
Carly Zuk, Jenny Leroux, Jane Lowe (Hillcrest Parent Council Reps/Hillcrest Playground Enhancements Fundraising Team)
OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT:
We are responsible for raising $70,000 by June, 2025 and welcome donations of any size. To put this large number in perspective, if every Hillcrest family were to donate $310, we’d automatically hit $50,000! It’s important to note that all donations of $25 or more are eligible for a tax receipt.
- You can donate by dropping off a cheque in the school’s main office addressed to:
Hillcrest Community School
Attn: Playground Fundraising
- You can also donate online via this direct link: https://tdsb.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/457/153/false/true?school=856&initiative=166
All donors will be listed on a permanent donor wall installation that we will be mounting upon project completion. If you wish to remain anonymous or would rather not be acknowledged publicly, please let us know by emailing us at: hillcrestplaygroundfundraising@gmail.com
Thank you for your support! Any questions related to the scope of the project/progress should be directed to Douglas Cornell (doug.cornell@tdsb.on.ca). Otherwise, all fundraising questions should be sent to: hillcrestplaygroundfundraising@gmail.com
North Yard/Playground Design:
South Yard Enhancements:
Includes:
-Reconstructed Sand Pit
-Shade shelter with harvest table
-Deck
Play structure for North Yard:
