Photo from Bontrager Auction site.
Although the Pembroke community had to say goodbye to a decades-old tradition of having the wooden primary school playground available for hundreds of youngsters to use, the district is beginning anew with a community build that will hopefully draw many hands to help build a new, more inclusive playground with 2023 capital project funds, Superintendent Matthew Calderon says.
“We are thankful for those who are stepping up to volunteer to help us build a safer playground for our children to enjoy for the next 30 years, with greater accessibility for students with special needs,” Calderon said to The Batavian. “Certainly, the wooden playground built in the early 1990s holds a special place in our hearts and served us well. Unfortunately, it became too hazardous to maintain, and we are excited about the opportunity the community has to collaborate once again to benefit our children and others from surrounding areas.”
School officials have scheduled Aug. 20 to 31 for the “community build,” a time when folks from various backgrounds and skill sets will come together to lend a hand and help put together the design of this modern play set to serve children of all needs. It’s to serve as a “cornerstone for the school and the neighborhood, with a similar large footprint and local form theme and touches of the iconic Pembroke dragon flare, officials said.
Benefits of a Community Build Playground
- Cost Savings: By leveraging volunteer labor and donated materials, the overall cost of the playground can be reduced, allowing more funds to be allocated to high-quality equipment and innovative play elements for the kids.
- Community Pride: Bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds to work on a common goal enhances community bonds and fosters a sense of accomplishment.
- Enhanced Design: Each playground is tailored to reflect the local community's cultural, historical, and aesthetic values, resulting in a unique and meaningful space for children.
- Safety and Inclusivity: The new playground will comply with ASTM International and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) standards, as well as ADA accessibility guidelines, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all children.
“We are hoping to recruit 25 volunteers each day, with at least half who know how to use power tools, and we need people to lend tools as well. All tools will be kept secure when not in use, and we guarantee to return all tools in the same condition or to replace them. Those interested in helping should complete the survey,” Calderon said. “We certainly need more help. I ask everyone reading this to consider volunteering at least one day between August 20-31. Our director of facilities, primary school principal and I are collaborating with a number of community members who agreed to lead various committees, and one of us will contact volunteers with more information after completing the survey.
If some want to help but cannot use power tools, they can participate by helping to serve lunch each day, and they can make note of that in the comment section of the survey.”
Volunteers will help assemble the playground under the direction of experts from Play By Design. Morning and afternoon shifts will be scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with lunch served daily from 12 to 12:30 p.m.
Submitted image
The playground is Phase 1 of the district’s larger capital project that’s already been approved by voters. Work is to include several enhancements and upgrades to the junior/senior high school, including new house lighting and theater lighting, renovating the pool and constructing additional spectator seating, regrading the baseball field and installing proper drainage, repaving the teacher parking lot and replacing the public address and phone system.
There’s also a gym expansion on tap, similar upgrades at the intermediate school, and the creation of a single point of entrance in the main lobby of the primary school, in addition to an Americans with Disabilities Act ramp, blue light system, new masonry, roof ladders and the upgraded playground.
This project was designed and will be led by Play By Design, a renowned playground design firm. For more information on Play By Design, visit the company's website.
Even though this is a brand new design, Calderon said it will honor the past with a “look and feel like the original wooden playground.”
“And we are keeping and restoring a number of elements from the original playground. For instance, the new playground will be constructed using the existing border and fencing, including all of the farm animals that were created and painted by students and community members. We are keeping the original swing set and restoring and incorporating the large community panel that depicts our local landmarks,” he said. “The new playground elements are made of more durable material than wood that is designed to look like wood. In addition to wood chips for the surface, there will be portions made of materials for ADA accessibility.”
For more images, go to the original press release.
Calderon plans to have the playground ready for action by mid-September. District officials are finalizing the details for a ribbon-cutting or some type of opening celebration, “and that certainly will be important,” he said.
On the other end of this project are those pieces from the original playground, now put up for auction through Bontrager Real Estate and Auction Services. Anyone interested can go online and place a bid on your favorite piece(s). An open house will be from 12 to 1 p.m. Monday at 2486 Main St., East Pembroke, NY 14056. The auction will close Tuesday at 6 p.m., and items can be picked up between noon and 3 p.m. Aug. 8 or 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 9. For more information on the auction, visit the online auction site.
“Community members who helped build the original playground or who have fond memories of playing on it have the opportunity to purchase parts of it, and we are not doing an auction to make money,” Calderon said. “I don't expect there will be significant revenue from the auction, but I do hope community members find good uses for the parts we could salvage.”
Designs for Phase 2 of the project are currently at the New York State Education Department for approval, and “we hope to start that phase after the winter sports season,” he said.
The 2023 capital project for $37,530,000 has already been approved by district voters, and includes two propositions: Proposition 1 (Main Project) for $35,995,000 and Proposition 2 (High school entry plaza) for $1,535,000
Project completion for all of the work is anticipated in 2027.
