The Park Commission marked the imminent installation of a new playground at Raynnor Gifford Park with a well-attended groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, May 1.
The 3,649 square-foot, $81,724.68 playground at 13 Mary’s Pond Road will be suitable for children ages 2 to 12. It will include a slide, swing sets, a Cyclo Cone Climber, a curved balance bean, a balance and bounce house and two benches for children and parents resting between play. It is replacing deteriorating equipment that has already been removed from the spot behind a ball field at the park.
Park Commission Chair David Hughes noted before the ceremony that the new equipment had arrived at the park only a day before. He then ushered the dozen residents of various ages with shovels in their hands to the mound of earth at the base of the ‘Coming Soon’ sign in front of the bare ground where the new equipment sat, and he instructed them to “dig a little dirt to get the playground that is overdue underway.”
Hughes began his pre-ceremony speech by noting he and fellow commission members David Sylvia and Ken Ross would like to thank everyone who helped to make the new playground happen. “We would like to thank ‘Tri-Town For Protecting Children’ for their donations that made this possible,” he said. “We would also like to thank the town Highway Department for their hard work and to our parks here at Gifford and Dexter. Also, we would like to thank Town Administrator Cameron Durant for patience dealing with me throughout the turmoil of this process. Also, PCC Corp. for donating their time and also their machinery to help out.”
Jackie Ekhart, representing the local non-profit “Tri-Town For Protecting Children” that donated half of the funds for the playground (the other half was paid for with town ARPA funds), added as she held the shovel she was using, “We’re building a place to create dreams, laughter and fun for the children, where they can build friendships. This playground will be full of joy and creativity and community.”
Residents in previous Park Commission meetings had expressed concerns about “Tri-Town For Protecting Children” being the lone private donor for the new playground; a plaque in the group’s name will be placed at the site. Residents felt the playground plan quickly became a done-deal without the chance for more than one private group to contribute toward the proposal or for the town to create a larger master plan for the park.
After the ceremony, Hughes dismissed this as an important factor. He said the new playground is important for the town because “We need to bring the town together so that we can have a decent playground for all the children. I don’t believe politics should be involved here. This is important for all of the community.”
Select Board Chair Brad Morse added, “I’m very glad to have the playground here replaced, because it was in a very degraded condition. And our children need a safe place to play.”
Hughes said the playground’s construction will be complete rather quickly, within seven to ten days. A bed of wood chips one foot deep will cover the ground around the equipment along with rubber safety mats to make the playground accessible to the disabled, he said. Landscaping around it will be refined. Concrete barriers will protect the area from vehicles traveling to and from the nearby parking lots.
By Michael J. DeCicco