Families Aim to Flush Out Portable Potties
20:20 Kate’s Place for Everyone Campaign Launches June 1st, 2019

If you build it, they will come. And once it was built, families from across Waterloo Region really did show up to play. The Kate’s Kause founders knew there was a real need for a fully-accessible, inclusive playground in Woolwich Township, as their daughter, Kate, was born with Angelman syndrome. What they didn’t know, was how great the demand was, with families travelling in to Gibson Park from all over the region. This summer, Kate’s Kause is partnering with the Township of Woolwich to build a much-needed, permanent, accessible washroom facility at Gibson Park in 2021. Woolwich families will participate in a Kate’s Kause 20:20 campaign to raise $20,000 of the $200,000 cost to help make the park fully-accessible, allowing kids to come together in play – and not be interrupted by an emergency off-site bathroom break!

In 2012, Kate’s Kause volunteers and community partners saw their vision come to life with Kate’s Place for Everyone: a fully-accessible play space, revitalizing an unused green space, building a community hub, and breaking barriers down between children living with disabilities, and their peers as they came together to play. The final remaining element to make the park family-friendly and accessible to children and adults of all abilities, is an on-site accessible, permanent washroom facility, replacing the non-accessible portable toilets currently used.

In 2017, with the collaboration of community groups, a new Kate’s Kause vision came to life: a vibrant, accessible splash pad, complete with playground, revitalizing an under-utilized park in Elmira, and drawing even more families of all kinds to Woolwich Township. Families who use the accessible playground at Gibson Park, and accessible splash pad at Bolender Park in Elmira are being challenged with a simple 20:20 goal: fundraise $20 (tax receiptable), from 20 people, during the park high-season months of June and July.