Slidey Slides Park a victory for Vancouver's smallest citizens
The tiny experts behind the newly renamed Slidey Slides Park in East Vancouver want everyone to stop assuming they were motivated by public cynicism a la Boaty McBoatface.
In fact, the name Slidey Slides comes from the most honest place imaginable: the collective minds of the three and four-year-olds from the adjacent Kiwassa Neighbourhood House daycare who play at the park daily and who find the slides to be — well — extremely slidey.
"I hope people understand this was a serious submission from children, and it was not making fun of the process," said early childhood educator Alison Lake, who coordinated the name submission, what with none of the children being able to read or write.
"They love this park!"
Lake says when the Vancouver Park Board asked for input into the renaming of Plateau Park which sits adjacent to the PNE's wooden roller coaster, it seemed obvious to ask the playground's most dedicated customers to come up with ideas.
Their suggestions were recorded during storytime.
"My own personal favourite was Little More Donkeys," Lake said laughing. "Running Star was another suggestion. We take some of the older children on a run around the track sometimes — that's where that came from. Puzzle Park was one of ours too."
In total, the park board considered 111 names, but, in the end, Slidey Slides struck the right chord, thanks in part to public art installations slated for the site which will feature yet another slide.
Lake says everyone involved in the daycare is thrilled Slidey Slides won.
"The children are really excited. All the families are excited."
"I think it's a great move by park board because it brings together community," she said. "Kiwassa Neighbourhood House has an important role in our community and for us to get that recognition from the city is really special."
