Special room opens doors for students with developmental difficulties.
Sana Naz uses some of the equipment in the new Snoezelen room opened Tuesday at Park Lane Public School.
Staff photo/NICK PERRY
Calling it a "work of love," parents and staff from the Park Lane Public School community gathered Tuesday, Feb. 7 to celebrate the grand opening of two new rooms that give students with developmental disabilities new opportunities to learn.
"These kids deserve the opportunity to learn," said Catherine Ure, the former principal of Park Lane, located near Lawrence Avenue and Bridle Path, which serves about 70 students from across the city with developmental and physical disabilities between the ages of four and 21.
Ure returned to the school this week to acknowledge the number of individuals, organizations and school staff that helped make the project a reality.
It was a four-year process to fundraise, design and build a Snoezelen room, which is a multi-sensory environment filled with specialized equipment used to stimulate or relax the senses. The adjacent life skills room helps students develop functional communication skills as well as essential life skills such as using a laundry machine.
"They succeeded in achieving something wonderful," said Ure, estimating they raised as much as $50,000 for the project on top of the funding provided by the Ministry of Education. "Every donation made a difference. Every effort mattered."
That included the toonies from the 50/50 draws, special fundraising events organized by York Mills Collegiate Institute students, and donations from the Toronto Kiwanis Foundation and the Rotary Club of North York.
For Shari Slonim, whose son has been attending Park Lane for the past five years, it was hard to believe everything was complete now.
"It really was a work of love," Slonim said. "To see the kids in there is a precious gift. It really is a special day for all of us."
Current Park Lane principal Rob Perry also thanked everyone involved, especially the school staff, consisting of teachers, educational assistant support staff and full-time nurses, for their ongoing work and dedication to the students.
"I never heard a negative word about the school," said Perry. "People speak highly of Park Lane."
Ure agreed, adding there's more work that can be done for the students.
"There's certainly more projects that can be undertaken," she said, suggesting the outdoor space around the school building could be more accessible. "It's about knowing what the kids need."