Public participation may determine whether or not an accessible park is built in Portage la Prairie in near future, and a city councillor is urging involvement.

Portage city councillor Melissa Draycott asked council at yesterday's meeting to promote as much participation as possible in the Parks Committee's push to construct a fully accessible playground on 3rd St. NW through a social media contest being run by the Aviva Community Fund.

The Parks Committee announced yesterday it was accepted into a contest that could see up to $100,000 come into the community to help build an accessible play structure. Coun. Draycott, who sits on the parks committee, says there is a major community need for an accessible park in Portage la Prairie.

"This was one of the things the Parks Committee initially heard when we did our community consultations two or three years ago," Draycott says. "More play structures with accessibility for mobility issues and disabilities is something that is needed in the City of Portage la Prairie."

Draycott says after the announcement was made yesterday morning about the idea to build the accessible park, she has heard a lot of positive feedback through social media.

"I've been seeing this is a need and people are excited," the councillor says. "I'm really hoping that Portage can get behind this, and share and support and vote so we can hopefully see this money come into the community to build a new play structure."

The total cost of the project would be about $200,000 -- meaning additional money would be necessary to facilitate the project even if the bid to win $100,000 through the Aviva contest is successful.

"We would have to look at alternative funding, other grants that are available to us, fundraising, that sort of thing to move the project forward," Draycott says. "Without this particular funding the project would be at a standstill."

Draycott notes even if they are not successful in getting the funds, the need for this type of play structure still exists in the community.

"I don't imagine if we don't get this funding that it's something that will go completely to the wayside," Draycott says. "However when it will come to fruition, that will be difficult to say without the funding."

The contest will award $100,000 to the community project with the most votes after polls close Oct. 28. You can cast up to 18 votes, right here.