Officially recognized

The Nova Scotia House Of Assembly has unanimously recognized the community of Digby for the Vaughn Vantassell Memorial Park. It was brought forward by Harold Theriault Jr. MLA to the House of Assembly "Where As on September 26, 2009, the Vaughn Vantassell Memorial Park in Digby rose from the ground with the assembling of playground equipment, gardens, shoveling and raking of sand and pea gravel and building a chain link fence by nearly 275 volunteers and where as the playground is named for and dedicated to Digby's former Fire Chief the late Vaughn Vantassell for his 40 years of commitment and dedication to the town and where as Vaughn Vantassell loved children and worked to promote a physically active lifestyle and would have been happy to be involved with the building of this playground." It appears on page 478 in Hansard, the official record of the Legislature of Nova Scotia.

Keith Trimper Memorial Playground

A new playground is being built at our Elementary School Sept 25, 2010. It will be named after Digby's much loved youth who died in an accident at the red cliffs 2 years ago, Keith Trimper. He was a great athlete and touched many lives with his positive presence. It is wonderful that our community will be able to honor him in this way.



The playground committee needs your help to accomplish this great project. Whether you are able to help on build day or you are able to donate to the playground. Every little bit helps. For more information and to sign up to help on build day go to the Keith Trimper Memorial Playground site to "Join the effort".

Park now has benches

Now that Spring has sprung the park has new benches around the playground. Anyone needing a place to sit and relax has the option of 3 benches. These benches were built by Cory Harris and the wood was donated by Happy Harry's. Thanks!

Anyone wishing to sponsor a bench can have their name (person or business) placed on the bench for a $200 donation. There are 2 benches left to sponsor, red and blue. Please contact Crystal at 245-2916 if you would like to make a donation.

Easter Egg Hunt hosted by Digby Elementary School

A fun day for the kids of DES at Vaughn Vantassell Memorial Park and the school playground. Preschool kids got to have their own egg hunt at the Vaughn Vantassell park and was enjoyed by many. The hunt lasted about 20min for the little ones and then they joined the kids at DES playground to claim some prizes.

The Home and School hosted both egg hunts for the kids and drew numbers for some prizes. In an effort to create awarness for the new playground being built at the DES this coming September 25th, the playground committee went around talking with the parents at the egg hunt about the project. Anyone wishing to help with this upcoming park is asked to contact the Playground Committee at http://www.digbyns.ltbk.ca/

It's Done but not Finished

Everyday there are children and families enjoying the playground. It is so wonderful to see that this one piece of our town has made such a huge impact on so many lives. Even though to many our new park is "done" it really isn't finished yet.

Our plans included a few more additions to the park. The biggest need is to have a public bathroom at the park. If you have little ones you know how great the need really is. To help make the park more beautiful and let others know about his life, we are wanting to have a mural of Vaughn painted. We also have planned to build a pavillion to offer shade on the hot days and the DC Riders have offered to help us build it this coming spring. Park benches are needed as well.

If you missed the opportunity to help build the park on Build Day, you can still be a part of creating something for the park.

Things that you can still help with:

Our park benches need to be put together and painted.

Anyone can sponsor these benches and have their name placed on the bench. There will be 3 benches made and can be sponsored for $200 each.

Help build the pavillion or donate materials (build day will be set at a later time)

Help maintain our lovely gardens by using your green thumb

Make name plaque's for those who donated to have a name placed on the fence

Help raise money and awareness for the public bathroom our park needs

Help with the mural. We need to have a design, materials and painters create this beautiful piece of the park

Here are a few photo's of the day. Go to http://s770.photobucket.com/albums/xx349/LTBKDigby/ to see al the photo's from our build day. If you would like a print of our Team Volunteer picture please let us know.

Setting up the swings

Setting up the posts for the junior structure

Early morning start

Scallop Days Queen and Princess with Elizabeth Conrad

Kool Aid Man!

Cole showing off his picture of Kool Aid man during the kids activities

Sparky the Fire Dog with Bonnie Vantassell

Some needed a little help with the very full wheel barrow of pea gravel

Getting the fence in place so the little ones stay safe

Donna Swan getting ready to plant in the memorial garden

Putting the finishing touch to the garden

"Little Gem" Evergreen memorial tree for Vaughn Vantassell

Many of the 243 volunteers who helped build the playground

Mayor Ben Cleveland says a few words after Jason McCutcheon sings O' Canada

Andrew Maves gives a blessing for the park

MOPS Committee makes Bonnie an honorary member with a MOPS T-Shirt and reveals the playground sign with sponsors

Jeff Vantassell talks about his dad and how proud he would be

to have this park named after him

Bonnie Vantassell and her grandchildren cut the ribbon

Bonnie officially opens the park with her grandchildren by going down the slide

Balloons were given to the children for a part of the opneing ceremonies

40 balloons were released by the kids, 1 for every yr Vaughn was a firefighter

RCMP attended the opening ceremony

Kids lined up to break through the paper chain made during kids activities

and rush into the playground to play for the first time

Kids moneying around on the new monkey bars

Digging is the most popular thing to do at the park

Setting up shop

Swinging is fun for everyone

Thanks from the MOPS Committee and Vantassell Family