Donation Drive + FAQs
Thanks to your support and contributions, we have now raised $150,000!! We are asking for all donations to be made before June 30 so that our committee can focus on grant applications and we can build our playground Spring/Summer 2023! If you have been waiting to donate, now is the time! Please check out our FAQs below for more details on the status of our project or feel free to get in touch anytime!
Double your impact + get your donations in today!! The HHBH Community Association is matching all donations made until June 30 (up to $5,000) .
FAQs:
When should I make my donation?
Please donate before June 30, 2022 so that we can apply for a matching grant in September worth up to $125K. We have been advised to have as much funding in place as possible when we apply so that we are "shovel ready" when the grant is awarded. In order to build next Spring/Summer we need this grant. Please don’t wait until we are closer to the build date. We will have a better chance of building next year if we secure the majority of our funding before September.
When is the playground going to be built?
We are targeting Spring/Summer 2023. The playground committee greatly appreciates your patience. Projects of this size take time to raise all the funding. The CBE expected us to take around 5 years to raise the funds and build a playground. So far we have been actively fundraising for about 2 years. COVID-19 slowed us down and also limited the availability of corporate donations and grants. We need the community to pull together, make your donations, reach out to your network, and talk to your companies. It takes a village!!
How much do we still need to raise?
Assuming we get the grant mentioned above we still need around $80K in order to build next spring/summer. Please note the cost of the playground increases each year. Last year steel prices went up 30% causing the cost of the playground to increase as well. Our supplier has also donated a free install of our playground. This is worth around $50K but the offer expires next spring. The longer we take to raise the funds the more expensive our playground will be.
Wasn’t the playground replaced 10 years ago? Why are we doing this?
The red equipment and the bus were installed in 2003. The rest of the equipment was installed before 1994. The average playground has a lifecycle of 25 years. Though the red equipment has a few more years left in it the supplier has gone out of business so it is no longer possible to replace broken parts. As equipment becomes unsafe it will be removed. We are also building an accessible playground so that ALL students and members of the community can access our play equipment.
Will I get a charitable tax receipt if I donate?
Yes! All donations over $25 made through the website will receive a tax receipt.
Will I get anything else if I donate?
Yes! All our donors will be recognized in the following ways:
For personal donations over $1000 your name or family name will be on the donor board. See below for a mock-up of the board. A sign similar to this will be permanently installed at the playground.
For donations over $500 your name or family name will be on our website’s donor recognition page
All donations will receive an e-thank you card (if you haven’t received yours yet please be patient, it takes time to get your contact info from Calgary Parks Foundation)
Can I get my money back if the project is cancelled?
This project will not be cancelled. The CBE has told us that we have to replace the playground - ideally in the next 1-3 years - as the current playground has reached the end of its lifecycle and will be removed as equipment becomes unsafe to use. Donations made through the Calgary Parks Foundation are not refundable.
My company does community outreach - how can they help?
Most companies in Calgary offer a community outreach program for its employees. Reach out to your company’s HR or marketing department to see if they have such a program. If so, the playground committee is more than happy to help fill out the necessary paperwork to make a donation happen.
Do you need volunteers to build the playground?
Our playground supplier has generously donated a free install so we are not planning a volunteer build at this time.
How else can I help?
We are hoping to grow our small committee and need to fill the following positions for next year:
Committee Lead
Fundraising Coordinator
Website Coordinator
Social Media Coordinator
Fundraising Volunteers
If you can help, please get in touch with Lindsay at briarhillplayground@gmail.com.
We hope this helps answer any questions you might have and can count on your support in this worthwhile community investment. If you have any other questions we would be more than happy to answer them.
