Edmonton removes hundreds of community sandboxes [Video]

Some Edmontonians are finding the recent weather difficult to navigate without the help of city-supplied traction materials.

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When sidewalks get slippery, many people go looking for the sand and salt. But with city finances tight, the vast majority of community sandboxes are standing empty – or not standing at all.

“Literally one day we came to the facility and it was gone … and no explanation,” said Frank Zrim, president of the North West Edmonton Seniors Society.

The sandbox outside the seniors centre is one of 670 community sandboxes that have been removed by the city this year.

The decision comes after the city held a public engagement session in October 2023. According to the resulting report, most people’s first choice was to keep the program as it was or to reduce and centralise the remaining sandboxes – 35 per cent to 29 per cent respectively. 

However, of all the …