Help Us Build a New Playground

As many of you already know, the playground on the west side of our school property is quickly approaching the end of its lifespan. The school has received notice from the Calgary Board of Education that it is time to begin planning for the removal and replacement of our beloved playground; already, certain pieces of equipment that passed their date of expiry have been removed without possibility of repair or replacement.

The new playground is projected to cost $500,000. Yes, that is A LOT of money, but we know that an inclusive, dedicated play space is an essential part of children’s learning, health, development and social connection, so it is not something we want our students to be without. Through various fundraisers in the 2024-25 school year, including previous and projected casino earnings, we are approximately 30% of the way to our goal. That means that we have $350,000 more to raise before we can begin construction. The McKenzie Lake School Council is already working on several grant applications that we hope will cover a substantial amount of the outstanding costs, but we will need the support of the entire community to make this playground a reality.

Here’s how YOU can help:

  1. Help us find project partners! Does your employer offer community grants, corporate giving programs, or donation matching? Sometimes, all it takes is a connection to get the conversation started. If your employer or a company you have a connection with offers corporate donations, sponsorship opportunities or may otherwise want to get involved with our playground construction project, we would love to hear from you. Please email us at mlsplaygroundcommittee@gmail.com
  2. Join McKenzie Lake School Council. We are always looking for more parents to join School Council, where we discuss plans for the new playground and other ways to support MLS and its students. In particular, we would love to find someone who can help us create a dedicated playground webpage. 
  3. Consider making a donation. Donations are eligible for a tax receipt and can be made directly to our account via the Parks Foundation Calgary website: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/ParksFoundationCalgary/schools.html by selecting McKenzie Lake School from the drop-down list of projects.
  4. Stay tuned! More fundraising and volunteer opportunities and detailed project information will be available in the weeks and months to come. Please watch for updates from the McKenzie Lake School Council to stay up to date on our playground progress.

Thank you for working with us to build an incredible space for our students to learn, grow and connect for decades to come. If you have any questions, suggestions or want to get more involved, please email us at mlsplaygroundcommittee@gmail.com

There are many ways you can contribute to our school’s success, and make a difference for our school and our students. In our school, this can include providing in-kind donations, contributing cash and lending expertise and technical knowledge. Connect with our principal on what may be appropriate. For more information on ways to give to CBE, visit the Donate page ​on the CBE website.​​​

​​​Donating to Our School

Ways to give to our school include:

Monetary (cash) Donation
  • I wish to receive a tax receipt for my donation. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more.
    • Visit the EducationMatters online donation webpage to make a donation. (Preferred donation method)
    • Write a cheque payable to EducationMatters  (all one word) and include the name of our school and the specific program, activity or item you want your donation to support in the 'memo' section. Give the cheque to the school or mail it to: EducationMatters, 1221 8 Street SW Calgary, AB T2R 0L4
  • I do not wish to receive a tax receipt for my donation
    • ​Write a cheque made payable to Calgary Board of Education  and include the name of our school and the specific program, activity or item you want your donation to support in the 'memo' section. Give the cheque to the school.
In-kind donations of school supplies or equipment 
  • Please complete this form | In-kind Donations Form
    If you have multiple items in different categories, please fill out the form for each item. This will help us to process your offer more efficiently.

Thank you for thinking of our school!​