Athol receives grant for play equipment

ATHOL – When Charlotte Hooper put in the grant application, she held her breath.

The Athol city clerk didn’t think her request for more than $25,000 in grant money to buy playground equipment for City Park would go anywhere.

To her surprise, it did.

TransCanada, which has a natural gas pipeline skirting town, awarded the city nearly $26,000 in grants to expand the playground at City Park. A new play structure with three slides will be installed next month.

“God just blessed us greatly,” Hooper said.

The new playground is the latest in a series of long-awaited improvements at Athol City Park.

A few years ago, the city purchased two lots adjacent to the park, doubling its size. The looming pines and knapweed on those lots have been replaced with fresh lawn.

A skate park that was supposed to be complete nearly seven years ago is finally open.

The children of Athol have a place to play – an entire city block – and they’re taking advantage of it.

“This thing has kids here every single day,” Maintenance man Bob Wachter said. “It is really, really super.”

Several residents and businesses have donated time and money to the project, Hooper said.

The city added gravel parking areas, a fence, sprinklers, pathways and planted new trees.

Athol’s a small town of 750 but Hooper said the park will draw children and families from surrounding areas.

“A lot of people come to our park,” Hooper said. “There are hundreds of children in the Athol area. This is for the kids.”