Minister Parsa Applauds Official Opening of New Accessible Backyard Space at Five Counties Children’s Centre
COBOURG, ON (June 19, 2025) – It’s been called a field of dreams, but with the support of the Ontario government, community partners, and area residents, the Northumberland Backyard Project is now an amazing, accessible reality.
The new backyard space is officially open for use at Five Counties Children’s Centre on Division Street in Cobourg. For almost three years, Five Counties and its key project partners – the County of Northumberland, Northumberland EarlyON Child and Family Centres, YMCA Northumberland, and Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre – have worked to transform a vacant 25,200-square-foot parcel of property into a safe, fully-accessible outdoor space for treatment, recreation, cultural awareness and outdoor education programs.
The project received a significant boost in December 2023, when the Ontario government committed capital funds to see the project completed. This included a $141,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to build an accessible track and other play features. In addition, the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services provided a $255,100 capital grant to revamp and expand the parking lot and do related site work preparation to accommodate the accessible backyard project.
Provincial Support Was Integral
Michael Parsa, Ontario’s Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, calls the completion of the backyard a huge win for children and families in Northumberland County. “Our government is strongly committed to helping children with special needs and their families, so we’re proud to partner with Five Counties Children’s Centre to create this amazing space for children of all abilities,” Minister Parsa says. “On behalf of Premier Ford, I thank the entire Five Counties team for their hard work and compassionate care, and my colleague, MPP David Piccini, for his strong advocacy on behalf of local families. He was instrumental in getting this project to the finish line.”
Five Counties Children’s Centre CEO Scott Pepin also credits Northumberland-Peterborough South MPP David Piccini for being a big booster of the project. “MPP Piccini and Minister Parsa were huge champions of this project from the outset, and we appreciate their support, and that of the Ontario government, for helping bring the accessible backyard project to completion,” Pepin notes.
What the Accessible Backyard Includes
At an approximate $376,000 cost, the backyard project includes: accessible amenities like a rubberized track for wheelchairs/bikes/mobility devices, sensory play equipment, accessible slide and wheelchair swing. There are also other play features, raised garden beds, stage area, gazebo, Indigenous cultural awareness space, sunshade cover, storage sheds and safety fencing. With a few final refinements and enhancements in the works, the backyard space is already proving a hit with children, parents, families, and service providers.
“We have so much to celebrate, as our field of dreams is at last an amazing, accessible reality,” adds Pepin. “With any project of this size and scope, there were challenges to overcome, including fundraising and addressing safety, traffic and drainage issues. But in the end, the transformation of our backyard space will help transform lives and benefit many children and families in Northumberland County.”
Pepin credits the Centre’s key project partners – Northumberland County, local EarlyON Centre, YMCA Northumberland and Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre – for their support in helping to bring the backyard dream to reality. “We couldn’t have achieved what we did without our incredible community partners,” Pepin adds. “All of the project partners see the value of the backyard as a way to boost programs and services for their kids, clients, and families.”
Power of Local Partnerships
Northumberland County and EarlyON Child and Family Centre (which rents space at the Five Counties site in Cobourg) have, in particular, made key contributions in equipment, expertise and support towards completing the backyard project.
Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander sees the investment as a prudent one that pays off for the entire community. “Playgrounds are more than just places to have fun. They are spaces where children learn, grow and build connections,” Warden Ostrander says. “When we design playgrounds and play spaces to be accessible, we create communities that welcome and support everyone.”
Local companies, various service organizations and individual donors also provided financial support to the backyard project. “It was a total community effort, and we couldn’t have achieved this without the generosity and support of so many,” Pepin adds.
Outdoors as a ‘Learning Lab’ for Kids
Dr. Beverlie Dietze, an Early Childhood Educator/Researcher and Outdoor Play Specialist, believes the community coming together the way it has to establish the accessible outdoor space at Five Counties will pay dividends for the next generation.
“Adults may view the outdoors as a place where children stomp their feet, run, giggle, and play. However, for children, the outdoors is much more – it is a learning lab for exploration and discovery!” Dr. Dietze says. “Creating outdoor spaces where children can experiment, play, learn, grow, explore and build connections is vitally important, and that’s where the Northumberland Backyard Project will benefit countless children, youth and families in the community.”
Dr. Dietze spent part of this week sharing tips and suggestions with staff from Five Counties and local EarlyON Centres. Her aim was to help clinicians and early childhood educators enhance outdoor play opportunities in the backyard space, so as to maximize the benefits for children and families using it.
Five Counties Children’s Centre provides speech, physio and occupational therapies, as well as other treatment services for children and youth from birth to age 19, in Northumberland, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton. This past year, Five Counties served more than 6,200 children and youth in its region – including nearly 1,800 clients in Northumberland County.
See the Progress of the Backyard from Start to Finish
Category: General News