By Kathy Onorato
The installation of the monkey bars and slide will complete the phase one construction of the new Whitefield Elementary School playground. (Kathy Onorato photo) |
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When children return to the Whitefield Elementary School in September, they will be thrilled to see new playground equipment, which has been made possible by a small town community effort.
Delayed by a week because of heavy rains, on July 2 and 3, staff and community members worked to dismantle old equipment, dug holes, moved soil and set new playground equipment to complete phase one of a three-phase project. A formal ribbon cutting ceremony is being planned for the fall when the children return to school.
According to Whitefield Principal Joshua McNaughton, the old wooden playground had seen its day and the school was overdue for new equipment.
“We have dealt with wood splinters on a daily basis,” McNaughton said. “It became a safety issue.”
McNaughton said he has really pushed a new playground since he became the school’s principal in 2012 because of the safety issues arising with the aging wooden equipment.
McNaughton was at the playground site last week working along side of the school’s custodian Lewis Shorey, Sue Peaslee, Joshua Shorey, Todd Cook, and Lisa Kalloch.
Lewis Shorey and Lisa Kalloch use rakes to level the ground at the Whitefield School July 3. (Kathy Onorato photo) |
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When the project work had to be delayed from the original date of June 25, many volunteers who signed up to help were not available during the holiday week.
According to McNaughton the school’s old playground had been up for nearly 20 years.
In fact, Landscape Structure, the manufacturer of the new equipment as well as the old, told McNaughton, the former playground was likely the oldest structure of its type in Maine still standing.
The old wooden equipment had a significant amount of rot and sections of it had to be removed. The new playground is made of a durable plastic material which will last for a long time. According to Landscape Structures’ website, the material used on its equipment will not chip or peel and will hold up in all kinds of weather.
McNaughton said his students were involved in the selection of the equipment they will be using. Feedback from students indicated monkey bars and a slide were a necessity, McNaughton said. The red color of the equipment was determined by a school-wide vote in May.
Last year through the fundraising efforts of the school’s PTA, new swings were installed on the playground. McNaughton said the PTA has raised over $10,000 for this effort over the last three years.
This year McNaughton said he asked the RSU 12 school board to budget $15,000 for the project, of which $10,000 was approved.
The total cost of the three-phase projected is expected to be around $50,000. Next year McNaughton said he will again ask for funding from RSU 12 to begin phase two.
Lisa Kalloch, co-president of Whitefield’s PTA said July 3 her group will continue fundraising efforts for the playground. Potential fundraisers may include a road race in September, a silent auction, bake sales and Box Tops for Education collection, which pays the school 10 cents for every box top. Kalloch encourages residents and parents to save the box tops of participating products and get them to the school. For a list of participating products visit http://www.boxtops4education.com.
Donations for the playground are always welcome, Kalloch said. Many residents of Whitefield who don’t even have children in school have donated money toward the playground, Kalloch said. Many local businesses have also contributed money and items for the PTA auctions.
“We are grateful for the support of the community. Community support is what got us here,” Kalloch said.
