WINDHAM – Phase 1 of a project to replace the 22-year-old playground equipment at the Windham Primary School has been completed, and a grand opening will take place on Monday, Nov. 4, according to Michelle Jordan, a parent and coordinator of the Windham Primary Playground Fund, which made the project possible.

A community build, which took place on Oct. 19 with the help of 38 volunteers throughout the day, replaced the school’s 1991 playground equipment.

The new, custom playground structure was purchased through a local representative of Missouri-based Miracle Playground Systems.

“It was fabulous,” Jordan said of the day-long project. “Everyone worked really hard. We had some kids who helped out during the day. It was definitely a success.”

Jordan said the old playground structures on the A-house side of the school are outdated and unsafe for the children, with pieces of the equipment breaking and needing replacement. The old playground was also one-size-fits-all, and covered in rust.

The new equipment constructed in October is safer and handicapped accessible, which meets the needs of students with physical or other disabilities, Jordan said.

“What I particularly like about it is how it’s been customized for different ages,” said Regional School Unit 14 Superintendent Sandy Prince earlier this week. He also likes that the new playground area is fenced-in.

“I think it’s a great addition to the playground, mainly for security,” Prince said.

Celebration

Three separate ribbon-cutting ceremonies will take place during school hours on Monday, the first beginning at 8:40 a.m. The other two ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. in order for a majority of the students and faculty to participate and to recognize people involved in the project, said Prince.

“It’s been 22 years, and the equipment certainly has aged; it’s beyond repair,” said Prince who will appear at the 10 a.m. ceremony and possibly the others, depending on his schedule.

“It’s been a collective group of people who have rallied around a great cause,” Prince said. “A dream has come true.”

Kyle Rhoads, Windham Primary School principal, said it’s important to recognize that the project wouldn’t have been possible without the community’s investment in its children.

“The fundraising has been outstanding, both in the school building and the many businesses and families in the area,” Rhoads said.

Bill Hansen, the school district’s facilities director, has also been instrumental in bringing the project to fruition, Rhoads said, between dealing with the proper permits and overseeing construction.

“It was just a nice feeling to get so much accomplished in one day,” Rhoads said, referring to the community build.

Rhoads said students are going to try out the playground equipment for the first time during the Nov. 4 grand opening. This past week, physical education teachers have been educating the students about how to properly use the new equipment, he said.

“First and foremost, we care about student safety,” said Rhoads.

Fundraising

Since last March, a 12-member fundraising committee, spearheaded by Jordan along with various organizations in the community, has been raising the necessary funds as part of a campaign to replace the old playground and redesign the recess area at Windham Primary School.

By August, the committee had raised around $30,000 through a number of fundraising events for the $125,000 project, and was more than halfway toward its $50,000 goal. By the community-build day on Oct. 19, Jordan said the committee had raised about $33,000.

Phase 2 of the project, which is slated to take place next summer, will add a second set of new playground equipment to the play space, replacing the other old equipment. The plan is to add a baseball field, a basketball court and a large grass area for playing, Jordan said.

The school board is still deciding whether to put the remaining cost of the project into the school budget, to be paid during the course of five years, Prince said.

According to Jordan, the plan is to reach the $50,000 fund-raising goal by the end of the 2013-2014 school year. On Nov. 15, the playground committee is holding a family pasta dinner at the primary school from 5-7 p.m. for $5 per person. It aims at raising another $2,500 for the project, with a dollar-for-dollar match to be made by the Windham branch of Modern Woodmen of America.

“We are planning a variety of family activities through the winter” in order to raise more money, Jordan said.

“We are very excited about Phase 2,” Prince added. “I think it’s a real tribute to the community. This community has made a significant difference, and the children will really benefit from this. I can’t wait to see how the children react to it.”

Phase 1 of the Windham Primary School playground project, which was completed two weeks ago by community members, is part of a $125,000 effort to replace the school’s 22-year-old equipment and enhance recess activities.

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