Sudbury·Audio

Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin dreams of accessible park

A non-profit group that helps support people living with a disability hopes online voting will help secure funding for an accessible park in Sudbury's downtown.

Group wants to purchase an empty lot next to office, transform it into accessible space

Rob DiMeglio and Sarah Mavin from Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin. (Roger Corriveau/CBC)

A non-profit group called Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin hopes that online voting will help it to secure funding for an accessible park in Sudbury's downtown.

The group wants to purchase an empty lot next to its offices and transform it into an accessible space for people to gather for everything from lunches to concerts. The space could also include a stage for music and cultural events.

"Right now it is just a dream," said Rob DiMeglio, executive director of Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin. "It's a community space, dreaming of a community space in downtown Sudbury."

The group is hoping to secure some funding for the accessible park through a contest run by the insurance company Aviva. The Aviva Community Fund uses online voting to choose community projects to fund.

Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin has applied for funding in the category of $50,000 to $100,000 level.

The property being eyed for the park is for sale for $120,000, Di Meglio said. Building a park in the empty lot would require about another $100,000.

The group will be looking to government and private organizations to fund the rest of the project, Di Meglio said.

If the park is built, it would be maintained by staff and members of Independent Living.

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Other projects

A number of groups in the northeast are looking for funding for various projects through the Aviva Community Fund: