Wilson Parents Pitching In To Pay For Playground

Thu., Jan. 21, 1999

Amy Scribner Staff writer

Education

First the students Wilson Elementary were transplanted from their playground to the front school lawn to make way for construction.

Next, a barricaded portion of South Monroe Street became home during recess while work continues.

So when a new addition is finally completed at the school, parents want to make sure the kids get a bit of a reward: a snazzy playground to go along with it.

But they’ll have to pay for it.

When parents learned that the district has not allotted money to rebuild the playground ripped up during construction, they decided to do it themselves.

A parent committee has brainstormed all year on how to collect the $15,000 to $20,000 to rebuild the playground.

The group is kicking off its effort with a dinner and silent auction next month.

Wilson’s new classroom wing - and a new library - are part of a $74.5 million bond passed by voters last year.

About $1.3 million of the bond will cover the Wilson addition, which is scheduled to be completed by this spring. The library will be remodeled with $700,000 in bond money spread among several schools.

But there are no dollars in the district budget for a new playground. Most play toys were uprooted during construction.

Some were no longer in compliance with federal codes and would have needed to be upgraded or replaced, said district Maintenance Supervisor Tim Wood.

One climbing toy will be reinstalled.

Parents say they envision a space with a swingset, monkey bars, basketball hoops and climbing structures. They’d like to install a grassy courtyard with a sprinkler system.

District Planning Director Ned Hammond said the district has offered to include the items in its bid for the library remodel to give parents the most competitive prices for equipment and installation.

The district also will do asphalt repair and place grass and trees around the new addition.

But it’s up to the Wilson community to foot the bill for the playground.

With a small school of just 300 students, the parent committee is hoping to get a little help from nostalgia.

“We’re really counting on alumni to support us,” said parent Tracee Wolff.

“We’re kicking around different ideas. We’re trying to pick up bits and pieces of things on sale.”

Wood welcomed the parents’ efforts.

“That community group wants to make that site a little more user-friendly to kids. Everything they can do to improve the playground is probably a step in the right direction.”

Fund-raiser Feb. 11 A dinner and silent auction will start at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 11 at Wilson Elementary to raise money for new playground equipment. Call 838-7922 for more information.

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