‘Every child who plays here is a tribute to him’

Playground honours six-year-old who died of brain cancer complications.

Olivia Taylor
Kicker

The laughter of children echoed through a colourful web of swings and slides on Saturday at the official opening of Curtis’s Place. It was a dream seven years in the making. 

Curtis Hudson was known for his humour, his kindness, and his love of the outdoors. He spent hours on playgrounds with his friends and always had a joke to share.

“He was the sweetest boy,” said his mother Krista Hudson. “He loved camping and playing outside. He was a real prankster, too.”

Curtis died in 2017 from brain cancer complications. He was only six years old. His family created the Curtis Hudson Memorial Fund soon after, wanting to build a playground where children could play in his memory. He went to Goulds Elementary and his family figured that was the obvious place to put the playground. 

Building an innovative and accessible playground, however, would come with a big price tag. The structure, rubber surfacing and site-work totaled more than $550,000.

“At first the hardest part was just getting the word out there,” Hudson said. “Once the community knew what we were doing and who we were, we had their support 100 per cent.”

Local businesses, community organizations and residents pitched in with raffles, ticket sales and donations. 

Students and staff at Goulds Elementary joined in, raising roughly $100,000 through 50/50 draws, a sweat-a-thon and recycling drives.

“It was definitely a community effort,” Hudson said. “We couldn’t have done it without people donating their time, money and materials.”

“Now, every time I drive by, there are children playing. After school, on weekends, there’s always someone there.” 
 Krista Hudson

Inclusion and accessibility influenced every stage of the design.

“We wanted something that had multiple ramps and sensory boards so everybody could play,” Hudson said.

The finished playground features colourful ramps, touch panels and a smooth rubber surface that allows mobility-device access.

Kids started using the playground in September as soon as construction wrapped up.

“We knew the kids were excited,” she said. “Now, every time I drive by, there are children playing. After school, on weekends, there’s always someone there.”  

Jack Lundrigan, 10, was stoked about the new playground.

“Thank you for raising money over all these years to help build this playground,” said Jack.

Six-year-old Alice Stack was one of the first kids at the opening. 

“It’s lots of fun and it’s just amazing,” said Alice.

Eight-year-old Adeline Howlett said the new surface makes a big difference.

“It’s way better because the old playground had rocks, and you could hurt yourself more,” she said. 

Luke Bambrick, 6, didn’t hesitate to say the obstacle course was his favourite.

“We always, like usually, do the the obstacle course,” said Luke, who spent most of his time Saturday trying master the course. 

“I get to swing across the monkey bars.”

The opening was like a community celebration with food, face painting and a visit from the local fire department. Several speeches were made before the ribbon-cutting ceremony where Curtis’s former classmates, now in Grade 9, stood proudly behind Hudson as she cut the ribbon. 

Hudson said watching children play there reminds her of why she started the project.

“Every time a child steps onto Curtis’s Place,” she said softly, “it’s a tribute to him.”

 

Alice Stack, Jack Lundrigan, Luke Bambrick, Kate Parsons, Adeline Howlett, Eve Kenny, Casey Harris, Macy Pritchard and Maggie Boland talk about their new playground.