Westmount comes together for new playground

Times Reporter 

 

Associate Principal of Westmount Elementary Dana Graff, with the help of roughly 20 volunteers, installed a new playground system for the school on July 13-14. All equipment was cemented on the weekend, and will be graveled by the middle of the week.

“It’s been really great,” said Graff. “Lots of parents here. We’ve even had a senior show up today to help.”

Volunteers worked full days, of hours roughly 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and had lunch provided. Habitat Playground sent a few workers as well, while the Strathmore Lions offered a big tent space for shelter.

Gray’s Limited prepared the area, and put in the footing for the towers. 

“They’re also – as a courtesy to us – they’re doing a revamp of the naturalization area,” Graff said. “They’re making a big berm, a big hill, and they’re going to put some new logs in there, new rocks, and some new wood chips and make it all look nice.”

The previous wooden structure was removed for safety reasons, as it was not up to code. The new structure is a little smaller than planned, but lots of fun no less.

“We kind of planned on about a $300,000 playground, and when it was all said and done we had $240,000,” said Graff. “So we downscaled a bit.”

Volunteer Richard Kubin has a son attending Westmount, and a daughter who will be joining in a year’s time. He thought it would be nice to volunteer for them.

“It’s going to be great, hopefully they have fun,” he said. “If it gets them out of my hair, I’m happy to do it!”